BACOLOD City – Following concerns about the reported alleged presence of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, members of law enforcement in this city have yet to receive any report of their presence here.
This was confirmed yesterday, March 25, by Singcang-Airport punong barangay Atty. Caesar Distrito, spokesperson for Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
In a statement last week, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office said they are now conducting intelligence monitoring to verify the report.
Meanwhile, Distrito said he had talked with Bacolod City Police Office director Colonel Noel Aliño, and he was told there was no presence of the said group in the capital city.
He cited that the MNLF has an existing agreement with the government, and as long as what they are doing is within the law, it is their prerogative.
Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has called on Cadiz City mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. to investigate the reported presence of the MNLF within their area, highlighting the importance of vigilance.
The governor expressed concern over the MNLF’s supposed recruitment activities in Cadiz City, advocating for stringent monitoring by police and military forces./PN
