OZAMIZ CITY—City Police Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido assured residents of secure and safe surroundings, this information was coursed through members of the Misamis Occidental Media Practitioners Society (MOMPS) to help disseminate proper information.
Espenido’s
announcement came about after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director
General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has ordered the augmentation of forces in the city
following Sunday's bloody predawn police raid on properties owned by the
Parojinog family.
Dela
Rosa said his order was “to maintain peace and order sa buong siyudad ng Ozamiz"
amid reprisal rumors circulating around.
He
added he has ordered the setting up of checkpoints to ensure that no group will
take advantage of the situation.
The
PNP hierarchy said there is information circulating that a group on board two
big bancas was on its way to Ozamiz City to retaliate.
Another
unverified rumor discloses that six vans coming from Zamboanga City are on its
way here to retaliate and fight back the police.
“Nothing
to worry about because Ozamiz City's peace and order condition is still under
control,” Espenido said during a press conference inside his office yesterday
evening.
The
police chief added that the city is still under control and other troublesome
forces are restrained and more troops are presently guarding the city proper.
He
said that people should refrain from accepting as true what they read in
Facebook since these are only rumors and not positive information.
Meanwhile,
one Facebook community page named “Ozamiz City” has helped out lessen the
residents’ fear and panic, saying the city “is not on red alert and all
business establishments and schools are not closing earlier and shortening
class hours.”
“Beware
of false information. There are no official notices from the local government
or schools to change any schedule of classes or business hours,” it added.
A Facebook
post from La Salle University-Ozamiz yesterday obtained by The Philippine
Preview said “we are following our regular schedule of classes.”
Espenido
ended by saying residents must not to consider any unverified text messages received
from anybody and to refrain from overreacting as this will only create annoyance
to others. (MICHAEL MEDINA)