(CNN Philippines) – For the first time in more than a year, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) has recommended the lowering of Zamboanga’s alert status from “high” to “moderate” for the month of June.
Sr. Supt. Angelito Casimiro, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) chief, confirmed the report and said that the recommendation is pending approval from the Anti-Terrorism Council.
Casimiro said that the alert status was lowered from high to moderate based on a joint assessment made by the NICA, Joint Task Force Zambasulta, and Regional Intelligence Officer Sr. Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo.
The lowered alert status was attributed to increased community participation on security efforts and the improved efficiency by police and the military in thwarting security threats.
Casimiro explained that although there are still threats of kidnapping and bombing in Zamboanga City, agencies have noted increased and effective cooperation between the community and authorities in responding to existing threats.
More specifically, Casimiro cited efforts by an east coast barangay in securing the coastline while authorities focus their efforts in addressing threats at the source.
The alert status was lowered amid growing international concerns of terrorism and insurgency in Mindanao.
Last week, the U.S. State Department issued an advisory warning its residents of increased risks of travelling to the Sulu archipelago including Zamboanga City.
This is reportedly based on a history of kidnapping incidents involving foreigners in Sabah, Malaysia and the Southern Sulu Sea by terrorist groups.
Based on ZCPO records however, kidnapping incidents have gone down in the city from four victims in 2013 to two last year. There have been no kidnapping incidents from the first quarter of 2015 up to the present time.
There are, however, two bombing incidents so far since the start of 2015.
At least two were killed and 56 were injured in a car bomb explosion fronting the Guiwan bus terminal last January 23, while four persons were injured in a drug-related car bomb blast near the Ayala police station last April 3.
