In Davao City, “strangers will be questioned and luggage thoroughly checked”

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/09 July) -- Strangers will be questioned and luggage thoroughly searched starting today as authorities try to prevent "a spillover" of bombings into this city that also felt the face of terrorism in March and April 2003 when two bombs exploded at the old Davao airport and Sasa wharf, leaving 38 dead and about a hundred injured.

Col. Oscar Lactao, chief of the Army’s Task Force Davao said they will not let that happen again in Davao City and added that army and police units went on red alert starting Sunday.

"We will fight it, prevent it from happening again in Davao City," he said.

After Lactao and other officials announced their heighened security level, jittery employees of a mall in Barangay Matina alerted 911 of the presence of a mysterious bag left in their luggage counter this morning.

Army explosive disposal experts immediately responded but the mysterious bag was found only to contain dirty clothes. In Cotabato City, a suspicious-looking abandoned pail also drew the attention of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, but the pail contained only fish.

But authorities here said there is no reason why extra precaution will not be implemented throughout the city in the wake of the bombings in Cotabato, Sulu and Iligan.

Lactao also said they are meeting with local communities, drivers, and sidewalk vendors of whatever religion, to tap them as “spotters.”

Aleem Jamal Munib, president of the United Muslims for Peace and Development, said their leaders have been instructed to inspect every Muslim enclave in Davao City to look for strangers.

"Once we know there is a stranger we will ask them if they have relatives in our community. If they have none, we will call the Army and police to verify them," Munib said.

"We assure you that once we know there are bombers in our city, we will raise the alert to orange and will make public their names and pictures," Lactao said.

A Dabawenyo lawyer cautioned the police and military against singling out Muslims in the city. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)