PRO-BAR Director Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman (File photo courtesy of PRO-BAR)
COTABATO CITY – All police units across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are on heightened alert for possible saboteurs during festivities welcoming the New Year, a police official said Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), however, said there have been no confirmed threats from lawless groups during the region’s festivities that began on Dec. 16.
“However, we are not lowering our guard; we remain on alert to thwart any attempt by any group to disrupt the festivities,” de Guzman said in a radio interview here.
“We have identified areas where disruptions are likely to occur, and we have augmented our police forces there,” he added, without identifying the areas.
De Guzman said all police stations across the BARMM have augmentation forces to ensure sufficient police presence serving the populace.
Village officials were encouraged to participate in peacekeeping, and the deployment of force multipliers to remote villages has been activated.
De Guzman’s marching order to all police officers is not to fire their guns when welcoming the New Year, “or face the consequences.” (PNA)