AUTHORITIES beefed up security in Dalaguete, Oslob and Sumilon Island even before the United States (US) Embassy issued a travel warning for Americans against traveling to Southern Cebu.
Elizabeth Benologa, Oslob tourism officer, told Sun.Star Cebu that her office has not received reports of any cancelled bookings from tourists, and they are hoping that no untoward incident would happen.
“We see this as a threat kay security ang nakasalalay (because security is at stake). We’re hoping and praying this would end,” she said.
In 2015, a total of 1,067 Americans visited Oslob, a tourist destination popular for whale shark watching. They availed themselves of the services of 50 resorts and pension houses.
Benologa said that United States has been one of the town’s top 10 sources of visitors in recent years.
The US Embassy issued a travel warning on its website last Thursday, citing kidnapping risks from armed rebel groups who “are planning to conduct kidnappings in areas frequented by foreigners on the southern portion of Cebu Island, specifically the areas around Dalaguete and Santander to include Sumilon Island.”
Police Insp. Deni Mari Pedrozo, chief of the Oslob police, said that they already sent police personnel to Sumilon Island, which has a high-end resort.
Pedrozo said that conducting checkpoints in his area of responsibility would have been crucial during these times, but President Rodrigo Duterte has dismantled the checkpoint system of the police, saying it was unnecessary.
Caution
For now it’s business as usual for boat operators, fishermen and residents in the area despite the travel advisory. But local police have asked to be on the lookout for suspicious persons and foreign boats.
“Three days before, giingnan nami nila nga pabantay-bantayon (We were told to be vigilant),” Ruben Monilar, a tricycle driver from Oslob, told Sun.Star Cebu.
When asked why they were instructed to be on the lookout, Monilar said that the police did not elaborate.
Rex Durano, another resident, said he was skeptical of the claims of a potential terrorist threat in his town, as he has not observed anything out of the ordinary.
“Ang istorya ra sa tawo ang makadalag hadlok. Kung hadlukon nimo, mahadlok gud na (People who talk are the ones who spread the fear. If you really intend to scare them, then they would get scared),” Durano said.
Sumilon Island, which is five to six hours by boat away from Mindanao, has received an additional police team, two teams from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 7 and a team from the Philippine Army.
A ship from the Philippine Navy also patrols the water surrounding the island.
Visiting
Johnrey Rejolio, 23, a boatman who ferries tourists to Sumilon Island, said that they accommodated only a few foreigners in the last two weeks.
“Niaksyon og hinay kay tinghinay man gud rong mga buwana (Business has started to slow down because only a few tourists come here during this time of the year),” he said.
He said that they have not yet felt the effect of the advisory on their regular bookings by American tourists for the whale shark watching package.
A Canadian national who frequents Sumilon Island said that he was comfortable around the people of Oslob and stays there for the exotic beaches.
He said he was happy to hear that security is being tightened and added he was not scared as he had not heard of any kidnapping incident in Cebu.
Rico Pamaran, a native of Zamboanga del Sur, said that he felt safe together with his family despite the news of alleged kidnapping threats, after he saw the Navy ship monitoring the water.
“Safe ra man. Kampante ra pud mi kay lisod na kayo i-cancel. Nindot ug worth it among pag-ari (It’s safe. We’re also confident because it would be difficult if we cancelled our outing. Our stay is good and worth it),” he said.
Guard up
Meanwhile, the barangay captain of Coro in Dalaguete said that barangay officials have advised residents in the coastal areas to coordinate with the local government and the police if they see any new arrivals.
Police in Dalaguete also urged workers in the beach resorts to get to know their guests by scrutinizing identification cards and passports.
“Di mi pwede mag-relax kay basin unya mo-igo. Bisan gani ang America nalutsan so di mi angayng mo kompiyansa (We cannot relax because it might hit us. Even America was affected, so we can’t be complacent),” Senior Insp. Abel Laborte told Sun.Star Cebu.
Laborte said that they have reviewed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras of the two resorts in Dalaguete and said that they have not seen any suspicious-looking guests who checked in.
Despite that, Laborte said that any added security detail like the platoon from the Armed Forces of the Philippines that is expected to arrive in Dalaguete would be welcome.