Police nationwode on 'heightened alert' after Jolo Bombing

(philstar.com) - January 28, 2019 - 12:28pm

MANILA, Philippines — Police across the country were placed on heightened alert on Monday in response the twin bombings at the Jolo cathedral in Sulu on Sunday, January 28.

In a press conference, Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac, acting chief of the PNP’s public information office, said that Director General Oscar Albyalde has placed the entire PNP under nationwide heightened alert.

Pope Francis asks for prayers for victims of Jolo twin blasts.

The heightened alert status “aims to ensure that no similar plans of terrorist groups will be carried out in other regions,” added Banac.

All regional directors were also directed to “initiate further security measures to preempt and prevent similar incidents.”

Police regional directors were also given discretion to raise alert conditions in their areas of responsibility, if necessary.

Law enforcement agencies have been on heightened alert since the start of the election period.

President Rodrigo Duterte has also yet to lift the state of national emergency he declared since the bombing in the Davao City night market in September 2016.

Banac stressed that this new directive of a heightened alert status is “to put more emphasis and remind once again all our units and offices to maintain alertness and intensify some more.”

“We should not remain complacent but instead we need to be very vigilant in cooperation with the community,” he added.

Albayalde flew to Jolo, Sulu on Monday morning to lead the post-blast investigation.

In an earlier televised interview, Albayalde said that they are working to “reconstruct” the improvised explosive device, which would help them identify the maker of the bomb.

Palace says no mercy for Jolo cathedral bombers.

He explained that the construction and type of explosive used in the bombs are like “signatures” of certain groups.

At least 20 were killed and more than 100 law enforcement agents and civilians were injured from the two bombings. — Kristine Joy Patag

A Chance of Religiousness?

One of the most important parts in my life is the belief in supernatural power which governs the universe. Maybe because I was born and raised up in a parish house in Germany.

It doesn't matter which religion we belong to or believe in: the recognition of God as object of worship, the form of worship should be our primacy need. Sad to say, more and more people get another opinion nowadays.

During my stay in several Western countries, I experienced icy and conceited comments such as religiousness isn't popular any more. Religiousness makes people unwilling and morose because of exaggeration and sometimes even hypocrisy. Increasing negative headlines about the "institutional church" in the past and now, and embarrassing comparisons lead only to discord.

How comes? We want to see the religiousness of our fellow creatures. We want to understand their ideology.

But we are also poking our nose into other people's business too much. Let's look behind the scenes and let's find out what religious behavior promotes: humility in actual life. Maybe. It's hard for us to do without affecting others.

We even forget the real meaning of religiousness. St. John Crysostom subscribed the topic "Pagans and Christians" very well: "There would be no pagans if we were good Christians. But the pagans see us manifesting the same desires, pursuing the same objects - power and honor - as themselves, how can they admire Christianity?"

They see our lives open to reproach and our souls worldly. We admire wealth equally with them and even more. How, then, can they believe? From miracles? But these are no longer wrought. From our conversion? It has become corrupt. From charity? Not a trace of it is anywhere seen. (Quotation "Winnowing Fan", Vol. XX, June 2003, S of G Foundation, Makati).

I am proud having people in my surroundings who taught me be how to be on the right track - unconcerned and unnoticed. Natural and uninhibited, they showed me how to put real religiousness into action besides praying and going regularly to church. I call such people religious. I mean it as praise because they don't like to blow their trumpets while a acting as Christians in our daily life. Having such people around us make it easier to practice forgiveness... .