By Dominic I. Sanchez
ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Benigno S. Aquino III visited the city Sunday (Jan. 25) to personally assess the
security situation in the city and to provide assistance to victims of last
Friday’s blast in the premises of the Guiwan bus terminal.
The President arrived
past 10 a.m. at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) together with Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman,
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang and Department of
Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad.
Upon arriving in
Zamboanga City, he immediately met with Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar,
Congressman Celso Lobregat, Congresswomen Lilia Nuño and other local officials
at the EAAB VIP lounge. The President was briefed on the recent security
situation since Friday’s blast that killed two people and wounded 52 others.
Justice for the
victims
After an
approximately three-hour briefing, the President and his contingent proceeded
to the blast site in front of the Guiwan terminal where he personally inspected
the devastated Fantacy bar, as well as the damages to property within the
proximity. He stayed at the blast site for about fifteen minutes before
proceeding to the Zamboanga Peninsula Hospital where some blast victims were
recuperating.
President Aquino also
visited the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC), Zamboanga Doctors’ Hospital
(ZDH), Ciudad Medical Zamboanga (CMZ) and the Zamboanga City Medical Center
(ZCMC) where other patients were confined. Some are under intensive care.
The President dropped
by La Merced Funeral Homes where the bodies of the two fatalities Reynaldo Tan
and Dennis Valiente lie in state. He promised the victims that the case will be
resolved immediately and that justice will be served to the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, Mayor Climaco-Salazar shared that President Aquino provided
additional financial assistance to the victims on top of the assistance
provided by the government earlier.
Very tight security
Security was very tight, as members of the media were only allowed to cover the President’s visit from the outside of the establishments that he visited. The onlookers, controlled by policemen, were anxiously watching the President a few meters away. Snipers were dispatched on rooftops.
A signal jammer,
mounted on a pick-up truck that was part of the President’s convoy caused
mobile phone and radio interference within the nearby proximity.
Late afternoon,
President Aquino stopped at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center, where he
personally saw the situation of the inmates there, including the 57 alleged Abu
Sayyaf members. Jail visitors were prevented from entering since early morning
for security reasons.
Last week, a
jailbreak attempt was prevented after jail guards discovered weapons and
ammunition were smuggled to the inmates in a concrete stove.
Blast linked to Abu
Sayyaf foiled jailbreak
On
Saturday (Jan. 24), Mayor
Climaco-Salazar said that the blast was related to Monday’s foiled jailbreak attempt. She added
that the blast was a diversionary attack to disturb the peace, even if their
attempt to escape from the city jail was already foiled.
However, as of press
time, there has still been no pronouncement by the local police on the cause of
the explosion in Guiwan Friday. However, reports alleged
that it was an explosive device, although viral photos and videos of the
incident showed a car parked in Fantacy was already in flames prior to the
blast.
“The police still
have no official report if the explosion was caused by a car bomb,” said Mayor
Climaco-Salazar in a radio interview in RMN Monday morning.
“They are still investigating.”
ASG inmates to be
transferred
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is currently working to fast track the transfer of the high-risk inmates at the city jail, according to Mayor Climaco-Salazar.
Meanwhile, the
President has ordered for the creation of a multi-sectoral, inter-agency body
that will assist the local government to enhance security measures in the city.
DILG Secretary Roxas shall issue a memorandum for this purpose immediately.
“The coordinating
body will compose of maritime (police), coast guard, marines, navy and other
sectors,” said Mayor Climaco-Salazar.
The President
departed after another closed-door meeting with government officials at around
6 p.m.