Lockdown in Basilan

ISABELA CITY, Basilan , Philippines  – Police and military locked down yesterday the entire city of Isabela in the aftermath of Abu Sayyaf attacks that left 15 people dead and several others wounded.

Road blocks were set up in and around the impoverished city of 150,000 people, security forces on foot patrol manned the perimeter and at least two military armored personnel carriers were seen moving along main roads where some shops remained closed a day after the violence.

“We are trying to get the situation back to normal, but we are implementing heightened security there now,” Western Mindanao command chief Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino said. “Right now, we have two Marine companies and one from the Special Forces guarding the city, or around 300 men.”

An Army company usually consists of 120 soldiers.

However, the city is far from normal as people are still jittery and some were even seen leaving their homes.

At least 20 families reportedly evacuated after allegedly seeing several armed men in forested areas just outside the city limits.

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad, who led the people in a candlelight vigil on the night after the carnage, reiterated his call for President Arroyo to suspend some civil liberties and declare martial law to put an end to lawlessness in the province.

Last year, Jumoad called for the declaration of martial law after the ASG beheaded one of its three hostages.

He presided over a memorial Mass in honor of the fallen soldiers and civilians in Tuesday’s attack as the city mourned the dead.

“The Catholic Church condoles with the families of the innocent civilians and military men who lost their loved ones. The attack was well-orchestrated to sow fear in the minds and hearts of local residents,” Jumoad said.

He said the cathedral has suspended the holding of regular Masses to give way to repairs.

“Rehabilitation efforts will be done immediately to make sure that the cathedral is safe for churchgoers. We really need help. It’s time for real action. Right now the important thing is to stop this madness,” the 53-year-old bishop said.

“We condemn these inhuman attacks in the strongest possible terms. We appeal to the public to remain calm because God will not fail us,” Jumoad said.

He said this was the first time that the Santa Isabel Cathedral had been targeted since it was built in 1970.

“The church is 70 percent damaged. We won’t be able to hold Mass here temporarily. It will be closed as engineers conduct the assessment on the structural foundation of the church. In the meantime, Mass will be held at the formation center,” he said, at the same time condemning the attacks as a “ruthless act against the innocent civilians and institutions.”

The Basilan bishop also urged the followers of the candidates of the May 10 elections here to be calm and avoid resorting to violence.

Barrier patrols

Aside from augmentation of foot soldiers from the elite units of Scout Ranger and the Light Reaction Company, the Armed Forces also deployed Navy vessels along the shoreline.

“We are checking suspicious moving vehicles or boats in the area. We call this barrier patrols,” Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

“The maritime barrier will ensure that the terrorists will not receive reinforcements. It will also prevent them from escaping,” he added, admitting that their limited personnel made them rely on civilian reports.

“We need the vigilance of the people. They will serve as our force multiplier. They are everywhere in the area and they know each other more or less. If there are new faces, new vehicles or suspicious actions, the people can monitor them,” he said.

Arevalo said pursuit operations are being conducted against the Abu Sayyaf, adding that they received field reports that the attackers have left Isabela and are now on the outskirts of Lamitan.

Dolorfino, on the other hand, said they are carefully inspecting the identities of military and police personnel in Basilan since the bandits have been disguising themselves to evade arrest.

Abu Sayyaf members were sporting short hair or crew cut to make it appear that they are military men.

“The elements of the PNP in Basilan are now using a counter sign so the AFP would recognize them since the Abu Sayyaf members are now wearing a uniform similar to theirs,” Dolorfino said.

Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, on the other hand, allayed the fears of the public, saying the Basilan situation has been contained and the perpetrators are now on the run.

“We are more inclined to believe that this is a terrorist attack. They have suffered a lot with the death of Bensar Indama, younger brother of ASG leader Puruji Indama,” Espina said.

Dolorfino said the bombings were just diversionary tactics from a bigger attack “either to liquidate a political personality or attack the city proper,” judging from the group’s staging point on board three vans in the open oval field.

He also did not discount the possibility that the attackers were supported by “unscrupulous politicians,” but did not elaborate.

Dolorfino confirmed they have in their custody two wounded suspects who could shed light on the plot.

Well-coordinated plan 

Dolorfino said the attack appeared to have been well planned, noting that the police and military uniforms worn by the gunmen were brand new.

He said military intelligence had received information ahead of Tuesday’s siege that the Abu Sayyaf was plotting an attack.

“They were planning something big. This was well planned and apparently they were well funded. I don’t think there was a failure of intelligence on our part because we were pursuing certain leads (ahead of the attack),” Dolorfino said.

Provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Antonio Mendoza said deployment of their forces had been beefed up and secured the vital installations to avert similar bombing attacks.

Responding police explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) elements led by Superintendent Jose Bayani Gucela disclosed that five detonating devices were recovered from the exploded van.

Mendoza said one of the two suspects who were injured and captured revealed that their companions were preparing the remaining bombs to be planted when they prematurely exploded.

Superintendent Abubakar Tulawi, deputy chief of Basilan provincial police, said they were receiving unconfirmed information from civilians about the plot to attack the city Tuesday night.

“These information were subjected to verification because we have also received similar information last November regarding the impending threat to this city,” Tulawi said.

City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar, in an emergency peace and order council meeting at her residence, ordered the police and military to strongly implement the ban on the use of military and police uniforms by civilians and unauthorized individuals.

Akbar issued the order after observing that the Abu Sayyaf suspects were disguising themselves as combat police forces to penetrate the city security system.

The mayor also suggested to authorities to relocate the parking of vehicles away from public places, including churches and mosques.

In Davao City, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte immediately called for an emergency command conference after the attack.

Duterte convened the commanders of the local police, the Army-led Task Force Davao, as well as other security and intelligence agencies to ensure that corresponding security measures were further tightened.

Task Force Davao commander Col. Oscar Lactao said the mayor instructed them to beef up security by putting up more checkpoints in strategic areas in the city.

Duterte also ordered law enforcers and military forces to strengthen their intelligence network to monitor the movement of suspected terrorists in the area.

Comelec wants Basilan under its control

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said the poll body is now evaluating if the heightened hostilities in Basilan merit placing it under Comelec control.

This means that the Comelec will be the one deciding on election-related matters in Basilan. However, administrative issues remain in the hands of local officials.

“We can, motu propio, declare an area under Comelec control but that has to be studied by the commission extensively. The agency is closely coordinating with the police and the military,” Larrazabal said.

But Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said placing Basilan under the poll body’s control would not resolve the problems. He claimed doing so only meant trying to avert election-related violence.

“The solution is not all in the Comelec. There’s tremendous pressure on the local law enforcement to ensure that an atmosphere of calm and quiet will be restored immediately (in time for election),” Jimenez added.  – With Alexis Romero, Sheila Crisostomo, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Edith Regalado,  AP