In the ongoing situation in Marawi City, where the Islamic State-backed Maute group launched an attempted takeover of the Lanao del Sur capital, the fight between government forces and rebels has resulted in multitudes of refugees seeking shelter in other parts of the country, the Negros Island Region (NIR) included. As is the case with the Middle East, Islamic State terrorists have conquered and destroyed regions of Syria and Iraq, in the hopes of establishing a caliphate, or a political-religious state devoted to the religion of Islam, resulting in refugees fleeing into Europe.
What many anticipate with a refugee crisis is the infiltration of terrorists amongst those genuinely seeking safety. Many on the left try to argue it is “humanitarian” to take in the countless number of refugees, regardless if there is a vetting process in place. There are just as many that straight-out deny terrorists are mixing with refugees and simply label opponents as “xenophobic” or “racist” if they argue on behalf of national security.
One such compromise that has been suggested, but greatly ignored by the mainstream media, was by US President Donald Trump, who suggested the creation of a fortified safe zone within Syria, where innocent civilians can be sheltered, without the necessity for them to enter other countries and potentially spreading more terrorism.
In recent years, with the huge influx of people fleeing the Middle East, Europe has witnessed the Porte de Vincennes siege and the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris; the Bataclan Theatre and Stade de France Stadium bombings, also in Paris; bombings at Brussels Airport and the Maalbeek metro station in Belgium; bombings and shootings at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey; a cargo truck running over a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France; a mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub; another truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany; a man driving his car into pedestrians along the Westminster Bridge in London, England; a suicide bomb strike on the St. Petersburg Metro in Russia; a suicide bomb outside the Manchester Arena in England, following an Ariana Grande concert; and many other incidents.
These are the types of occurrences many are looking to avoid, but there are also just as many that do not want to appear “xenophobic” and ignore the potential dangers.
In terms of the local government, it may not be a matter of appearing “discriminatory,” but merely disorganization among the local bureaucracy. Plus, with three suspected Maute members apprehended in Iloilo recently, the threat is a reality.
In the June 3 issue of Watchmen Daily Journal, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) acting director, Police Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, was asked about the potential entry of individuals fleeing Marawi City, where he said BCPO would coordinate with the city government in screening.
“We have to check these persons, so we can be sure that they are not members of any terrorist organizations,” he stated.
In the June 7 issue, however, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) acting director, Police Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil, said barangay officials are in charge of screening.
“They can check if their purpose is either just visiting a relative or if they’re there to conduct business,” he explained. “They have to search for the necessary permits or papers.”
By June 10, Wanky confirmed refugees had already entered Bacolod City, ordering all police station chiefs in the city to validate the report and to screen them, despite the prior statement by NOPPO.
Eventually, in the June 12 issue, the BCPO chief came around to saying barangay officials had a role in screening refugees, but framed it as if he were the one enlisting their assistance and not a previously mandated policy by provincial authorities.
While one may argue city and provincial authorities speak on different wavelengths, it runs parallel to the United States intelligence community prior to the 9/11 attacks, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were not permitted to share intelligence.
This schism led to a lack of concrete evidence within the separate agencies to follow-up on acquired terror threats. Following the 2001 attacks, where over 3,000 individuals were killed, then-US President George W. Bush enacted the Patriot Act, which allowed for the two law enforcement agencies to share information in order to properly pursue terror threats.
Regardless of the contradictions from the local law enforcement entities, while there may be administrative protocols that make it appear as if barangay officials were capable of screening individuals for possible links to terrorism, given their inability to regulate traffic, manage sanitation, among other issues, within their jurisdictions, having a hand in national security appears to be well above their pay grade.
Ideally, law enforcement would be a better venue to conduct screenings. There is a much larger scope in determining one’s background – more than one would get from a mere clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The current road construction along Circumferential Road near the Jack and Jill School is creating even more of a snarl-up than usual. Entire lanes of traffic have been torn up, with no signs directing traffic on where to go and no semblance of order indicting which lane goes in which direction. The same can be said under the flyover at the intersection of Circumferential Road and Lacson Street, there are no signs indicating which lane to use for which direction, which results in cars, tricycles, large trucks, jeeps, and pedestrians endlessly crisscrossing each other’s paths – it should not be a matter of waiting for an incident before taking action.
There is also the taxi station that occupies a lane of traffic along the said road, with their vehicles taking up a lane of traffic – even operating a car wash next door. Why is that allowed? Does the taxi operator have a permit to occupy a lane of traffic? – which, if that is the case, shows certain individuals in power are putting the welfare of a single taxi operator before that of local residents who are forced to use the now-diminished road.
When responsibilities continue to be pushed aside, or when miscommunication within government makes individuals agencies contradict each other, in the end, nothing gets done. As shown with the refugee crisis in Europe, the threat of terror is very much a reality and must be taken seriously. To bestow such an important task to a level of government that cannot even make construction sites navigable, there is very little trust a vetting process is a feasible assignment. It was initially suggested for law enforcement to take the reins on screening those coming into the city, a suggestion that should be heeded. They can run a proper review of individuals, while barangay officials can get to their primary job of organizing their respective neighborhoods, particularly those currently operating with anarchy on the roads./WDJ