By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) released a memo over the weekend directing all police outposts, camps, and stations throughout the Negros Island Region (NIR) to strengthen security measures, in response to the declaration of martial law in Mindanao and following recent attacks by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Quirino and Cagayan provinces.
PRO-18 also ordered all personnel heads to conduct Simex, or Simulation Exercises, in order to ensure all policemen in the region are aware of their respective duties.
Additionally, the office indicated all stations and outposts are required to provide situation reports every six hours for improved coordination with other units in the region.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the entire island of Mindanao under Martial Law, following an attempted takeover of the Maute terror group in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.
In response to Duterte’s declaration, the NPA was ordered by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to step up their own offensives against government forces./WDJ