‘Armed men sighting in Cebu south not true’

Police Regional Office-Central Visayas Director Noli Taliño said there is no truth to reports that two pump boats with armed men on board arrived in southern Cebu yesterday morning, following the clash between government troops and suspected Abu Sayyaf members in Inabanga, Bohol last Tuesday.

The official said the report is not verified.

Taliño, however, asked the public to continue their vigilance, report dubious persons, and avoid posting false information on social media.

“The best security is personal security,” he said.

The Cebu Provincial Police Office ( CPPO) deployed more than 100 personnel to augment security in Bantayan Island, San Remigio, and Minglanilla for the Holy Week.

CPPO Director Eric Noble ordered yesterday the police station chiefs to monitor their coastal barangays.

His memorandum mentioned the information they recieved at 5:29 a.m. about armed men sighted in Sitio Bonbon, Barangay Ocaña, Carcar City.

Noble said the information was unconfirmed.

The official said his directive was meant to secure Cebu from lawless elements.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Noble said.

Carcar City Police Chief Jose Liddawa said they secured Bonbon and found no armed persons in the place.

He led his personnel in patroling other coastal villages-Perrelos, Tuyom, and Bolinawan-since the gunfight between government forces and suspected Abu Sayyaf members broke out in Barangay Napo, Inabanga, Bohol last Tuesday.

Liddawa told village chiefs and chief tanods to report suspicious-looking persons.

Judy Gabato, Department of Tourism 7 chief operations officer, said 10 travel operators in Cebu and five in Bohol canceled their tours following the United States Embassy’s travel warning for Central Visayas.

Gabato, however, said they did not receive yesterday reports of cancellation of bookings in hotels and resorts. She assured the public’s safety. “Cebu and the whole Central Visayas are safe and secured destination,” said Gabato.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s (UK) embassy in the Philippines has urged nationals to avoid traveling to Southern Cebu, up to and including the towns of Dalaguete and Badian, due to reported threats of terrorism.

In their advisory yesterday, the UK Embassy in Manilla said there is a “high threat” from ter- rorism throughout the country and urged their nationals to remain vigilant at all times.

“Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out attacks at any time and anywhere in the country. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners like airports, shopping malls, public transport and places of worship,” the advisory added.

Aside from the embassies of the US, UK, Canada and Australia, the New Zealand embassy in the Philippines also issued a travel advisory to their nationals, warning of similar terrorist threats should they travel to Central Visayas.

The warnings, however, caused mixed reactions among tourists.

Tamara Mazur, a 24-year-old Canadian citizen, said in an interview that she is not alarmed by the recent incident in Bohol. She will still be spending her vacation in Moalboal with her friend. She also said that the best she could do is to be cautious.

Tamar, a 32-year- old UK citizen, in an interview, said that despite the news, she will still continue her two-month travel in the Philippines with her boyfriend. She said she won’t let the issue hinder her from having fun.

However, some of these travelers can’t help thinking about it.

Sheila Tacmo, who is heading to Mindanao to spend the holiday, said she was alarmed when she heard about the encounter in Inabanga, Bohol. She is bothered since some of her friends live there.

Despite the recent encounter, the Cebu City South Bus Terminal is still expecting more passengers during the Holy Week.