The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) over the weekend enacted the Oplan Davao Defense System (DDS) to impose tighter security measures within the city and its surrounding borders, following two separate explosions in Koronadal and Tacurong, which are believed to have been staged by local terrorist groups.
In an interview Monday, DCPO Chief Director Colonel Alberto Lupaz said that the operation plan will cover âoperational and tactical approachesâ, including heightened and layered checkpoint inspections, overt and covert monitoring strategies, as well as constant monitoring of intelligence networks to thwart terrorist threats and maintain peace and order in the city.
âRight after we received that report na naay bombing, unya nakita pud nato sa mga video clips na naay nibuto na bus, we immediately implemented âOplan DDSâ ⌠Davao Defense Sytem. Actually, matagal na yan na Oplan na ginawa ng DCPO because of the fact that every now and then we receive reports of bombings in our nearby provinces, especially in Central Mindanao.â (Right after we received the reports of the bombings, and we also saw videos of an exploding bus, we immediately implemented âOplan DDS ⌠Davao Defense System. Actually, the DCPO had formulated this plan way before because we receive reports of bombing every now and then in our nearby provinces, especially in Central Mindanao),” he said.
The DCPO chief said that Oplan DDS entails the âconduct of heightened checkpointsâ on all roads traversing Davao City. These checkpoints will be operating 24/7. âNo let up âyan, walang putol âyan. All police station will be rendering checkpoint operation right after another police station finished their duty,â he said.
Other measures within Oplan DDS, according Lupaz, include the enhancement of monitoring efforts in public spaces.
“We are also maintaining active security measures sa mga places of convergence, sa mga government facilities through overt and covert acts. I mean may mga police na nakauniform na nakabantay and meron ding nakasibilyan.â (We are also maintaining active security measures in places of convergence, in government facilities through overt and covert acts. I mean we will have officers in uniform doing monitoring duties while others will be in civilian clothing),” he added.
On top of these, the DCPO chief added that citizen reports of suspicious objects are to be taken even more seriously. He said that the city police have been receiving more of these reports due to the heightened vigilance of Dabawenyos, which he credited to the efforts of the PNP and the Armed Forces to promote a culture of security within the city.
âI am very happy with the culture of security implemented here in Davao City. Kasi, every now and then makakita ng mga bag ⌠talagang nirereoport nila âno. Unlike before when the people were not educated about the culture of security, wala silang pakialam. So mas conscious ang mga tao karon, mas matured at mas na-educate sila because of a series of activities conducted by the PNP and army and Task Force Davao. (I am very happy with the culture of security implemented here in Davao City. Because, every now and then, when someone finds a bag ⌠they report it. Unlike before when people were not educated about the culture of security, they did not care. People are more conscious now, more matured and more educated because of a series of activities conducted by the PNP, army, and Task Force Davao),” Lupaz said.
The DCPO is currently coordinating with the CTTMO and TF Davao to ensure that temporary restrictions on the movement of passenger buses within Davao City are maintained. CIO
