PNP hopes to end Zambo situation as soon as possible
September 9, 2013 | 2:53pm
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police hopes to resolve as soon as possible the conflict in Zamboanga City where several suspected Moro National Liberation Front fighters have holed up, taking some 20 civilians as hostages.
Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman of the Chief PNP, said the PNP leadership has alerted other units from the Regional Police Office 9 to take measures to prevent the situation from spilling over to nearby areas.
"We are doing everything to resolve the conflict as soon as possible," Mayor on Monday told a press briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
He said that the police and military personnel in the place are sufficient to "respond to the situation."
Mayor also clarified that the gunmen in five villages the area, including Rio Hondo and Sta. Barbara, and Sta. Catalina, have only held hostage around 20 civilians.
Around 200 civilians have been stranded in these areas as they could not leave the place due the standoff between the gunmen and security forces, the PNP official said.
He said that police have arrested two suspected MNLF tin a fishpond in Rio Hondo before dawn on Monday and four other gunmen were apprehended in a public market later that day.
"We will check if there are lapses and from that we'll move on," Mayor said.
Asked the possibility of putting Zamboanga City in a state of emergency, Mayor said the provincial and city crisis management committees would have to decide on the matter.
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