PNP-ARMM bares hotlines for Pope Francis' visit

COTABATO CITY — The Philippine National Police in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) has made public its social media communication lines for citizens to promptly inform authorities in any case of imminent security threat during or before the visit of Pope Francis to the country next month.Outgoing Police Chief Superintendent Noel delos Reyes, PNP-ARMM director, said any information (about) unscrupulous activities which may disrupt the peaceful convening of the pope’s visit” can be relayed through Twitter-@proarmm and through PNP hotline of Facebook Page-Philippine National Police and PNP Pro Armm Bulletin.Delos reyes said information can also be sent by texting 2910 dial 117 or SMS information to PNP Director-General Alan Purisima through mobile number 09178475757.Earlier, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the region is an inevitable factor to national security assessment and review for events of greater significance like the visit to the country of Pope Francis.It can be recalled that Hataman has recommended an all-out war” against the Abu Sayyaf bandits group in Sulu and Basilan, following attacks on military personnel securing government projects and amid persistent reports of purported recruitment by the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or its alleged alliance with Abu Sayyaf via online allegiance.Officials, however, maintained that there remained no proof as yet of the reported ISIS-ASG alliance in the Southern Philippines or elsewhere.Last month, 126 muftis signed a 23-page scholarly missive, condemning the ISIS and its crimes against innocent civilians among Christians minority and Sunni Muslims in Iraq, many of them women and children. Also last November, the Muslim world's top imam,Sheikh Maher bin Hamad Al-Muaiqely, came to Cotabato City and other parts of the country to explain to Muslims at mosque congregations how he and other ulama in Saudi Arabia promulgated their ruling against the ISIS, which became their country's basis of joining the anti-ISIS airstrikes alliance in the Middle East.This early, the PNP sought to allay rumored fears that there might be security threats to Pope Francis’ upcoming visit. Its officials said that aside from activating STF 'Papal Visit 2015,' the Directorate for Intelligence is also continuously monitoring developments (on) local threat groups, particularly in the southern part of the country. The Army’s 6thInfantry Division has also frequented troops’ deployment to main thoroughfares here amid heightened alert on bomb threats, after two reported explosions in separate incidents in Maguindanao and in this city, where at least one person was injured. Nevertheless, the PNP assures the public that its anti-criminality campaign and other normal public safety operations in the areas where the Pope will visit will not be compromised,” a PNP statement sent to local news organization said.The statement said the PNP has activated Security Task Force (STF) ‘Papal Visit 2015’ to secure His Holiness Pope Francis during his State Visit and Apostolic Journey (SVAJ) in the country and to ensure a ‘zero untoward incident’ for the duration of his visit.”It discloses that the STF Papal Visit 2015” is headed by PPDG Leonardo Espina, as its Task Force Commander. The STF is composed of two Support Groupsand SG Operations” and SG Admin/Logistics”. Two other Task Groups (TGs) have been formed, namelyand TG Manila” and TG Leyte” for the security coverage operations, traffic management and other public safety services for the venue where the Pope will visit. The PNP leadership further directs all its personnel nationwide to be wary and remain vigilant and watchful of the developing international situation and its possible repercussions to the country’s security,” the statement added.