Mayor lauds Muslim volunteerism amid terror threat
IN AN effort to ensure peace and order in the country’s Summer Capital amidst alleged possible terrorist attack in Northern Luzon by members of Isis, Baguio City’s Muslim community assured to guard churches and business establishments.
In a show of unity during the recent Sunday mass at the Baguio Cathedral, Mayor Benjamin Magalong in his address to church goers, welcomed the move by the Muslim Community while giving the assurance of security for the residents of Baguio City.
“What is important is that we should raise awareness among our people in the City of Baguio. That is the reason why we are here in front of you, and I am really very glad that in their own initiative, our Muslim brothers and sisters volunteered to come over and show a sense of solidarity, a sense of unity with their Christian brothers and sisters. They volunteered to protect us Catholics and Christians in the same manner that a group of Catholics and Christians also would like to reciprocate their efforts,” Magalong said.
Early last week, an alert memo coming from the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines gave reference to a basic intelligence leak with the corresponding command guidance containing information it received on August 2,2019 of ‘Crusader City’ with business centers and ‘Crusader Churches’ in Northern Luzon as target for terror attacks.
The alert memo indicated but was not limited to Laoag City, Vigan City, Manaoag in Pangasinan, and Tugueggarao City as the
possible target areas of the terror threats.
“Because of the information that we received regarding an imminent threat which is still being validated by our security sector, we became proactive, and one of this program is to show to our community in Baguio that we are doing everything to make sure that everyone is safe amidst this terror threat,” Magalong added.
Magalong earlier stressed although Baguio City is not included, there is a need for the residents of the city and the region to be calm and continue with their day to day living, but encouraged the people to be vigilant and to report suspicious individuals in their communities to the nearest police station in their area.