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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/22 August) – The business sector here is calling the local government and the local police to formulate a security plan for the city.
Pedro Rufo Soliven, president of the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (ZCCIFI), made the call after two bombings last week rocked the city and injured seven people, including a two-year-old boy.
The first bombing took place around 9:30 p.m. last Thursday wherein seven people were injured when an improvised bomb ripped through the rear portion of the Rural Transit Management, Inc. (RTMI) bus with body number 9224 while it was approaching the bus terminal in Barangay Guiwan coming from Pagadian City.
No one was killed nor wounded in the second explosion that took place around 10:45 p.m. also Thursday near a mosque at Suterville, Barangay Campo Islam.
Soliven said the security plan “must be relevant and responsive to the needs of the present peace and security situation our city is facing.”
He said that the security plan must not be one-size-fits-all given the uniqueness of the peace and order situation the city faces.
He said the security plan should be “the whole of the city approach” where a multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral involvement is necessary to address the peace and order concerns of the city and its residents.
Soliven said its aim is to generate citizens’ feedback and involvement as stakeholders on an otherwise public service monopoly and the participation of the Zamboangueños is a critical ingredient and an integrative concept of the whole of the city approach that will make the people an active participant in securing the environment.
“Being a mere spectator will not help us. It is time to free ourselves from fear. We are what we want to see our city. Let’s do our part,” he added.[]
He said the plan’s objectives are public order and safety of its residents, which includes law enforcement improvement and the responsibility of the community, involvement and mobilization against crimes.[]
(MindaNews)
