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Bato says cops are ready in case of ‘Marawi part 2’
FILE: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)
The country’s top cop assured that the policemen are preparing measures to handle a possible sequel to the 154 days of battle to reclaim the war-torn city of Marawi.
In a press conference on February 26, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was responding to what Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim reportedly said that foreign terrorists from Syria and Iraq are targeting Mindanao cities of Iligan and Cotabato.
“All the major, key cities in Mindanao are candidates to become Marawi part two,” Dela Rosa began saying.
However, he was quick to reveal how the cops are addressing the said possibility.
“’Yung ating Director of Operation si General [Camilo] Cascolan, nandun ngayon sa Davao nag–co-conduct ng signing (Our Director of Operation General Camilo Cascolan is in Davao, currently conducting a signing). May activities sila doon (They are undergoing activities there) related to security and defense of the city,” the PNP Chief said.
“Ongoing ngayon dun sa (It is ongoing in) Davao. It will be replicated in other key cities in Mindanao para masiguro natin na (so we can assure that) there will be no repeat of Marawi siege in Mindanao,” he added.
Dela Rosa said that due to the number of extremist groups in the southern region, it has become a target for possible attacks. He added that before these terrorists can stage an attack, they will have to focus on recruiting first.
Looking back, he said that it was also possible for some of those who participated in the Marawi siege could be behind these possible attacks.
“Attacks like that in Marawi take a long time of planning, it takes months or even years,” he added.
The whole land of Mindanao is under martial law – which President Rodrigo Duterte declared during the month-long battle for Marawi which started in May and ended in October.
