POLICE DIRECTOR General Oscar D. Albayalde said security forces have been mobilized to track down those responsible for Sunday morning’s blast in General Santos City, which left eight people injured. “I have directed the mobilization of all available police security forces in pursuit operations against persons responsible for the latest act of terrorism in General Santos City this morning,” Mr. Albayalde said in a statement on Sunday evening. “I have once again strongly directed our police units in SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12) to further intensify conduct of checkpoints, police visibility patrols, and focused intelligence and law enforcement operations in close coordination with the rest of the members of the security sector,” Mr. Albayalde said. “At the same time, we will surely appreciate any information from our citizens that may help police to identify the suspects,” he added. Meanwhile, Gov. Emmylou “Lala” T. Mendoza of Cotabato, one of the provinces in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region, stressed on Sunday evening that peace and security is “everybody’s concern.” She said checkpoints are continuously implemented daily and asked for full public cooperation. “We don’t know why until now there are still bombings,” she said.
NORTHERN MINDANAO
In Northern Mindanao (Region 10), Police Regional Director PCSupt Timoteo G. Pacleb also ordered full security alert following the General Santos City incident. In a statement, the police regional office said officers and K-9 units have been deployed in busy public areas while intelligence units are intensifying information gathering activities. “We need to further intensify our intelligence monitoring and liaising to build a strong information network against this kind of terror attack,” Mr. Pacleb said.

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