'State of emergency' to push LGUs to action

President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of a state of national emergency will push the local government units (LGUs), especially those in sensitive areas, to be alert, the Interior and Local government chief said.

DILG Secretary Ismael "Mike" Sueno told ANC's Headstart on Wednesday, the declaration is necessary because leaders, especially in Mindanao, "will now go into action."

In a conversation with Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, he said, he was told that the mayors really are now more active in their participation in their fight against the bandit group, Abu Sayyaf.

"The mayors, especially in Basilan, are now coordinating and cooperating. They are going, actually, with our military forces in order to pursue the Abu Sayyaf," he said.


Sueno said, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) "will now have more powers really to look into the security situation" after the declaration by Duterte.
"The police will be on red alert always. We will not issue vacation leaves anymore, and they will be on 24-hour alert in the entire country," he said.

He added, they will be deploying more policemen, especially in areas in conflict and danger.
Sueno believes the declaration will show how serious the administration is in going after the bandit group, especially after the Davao bombing on September 2, which left at least 14 dead and more than 60 wounded.

"Because of this, the Abu Sayyaf now feels that they are being pursued, that the government is really sincere in pursuing them. Kaya maraming sundalo ngayon sa Sulu at Basilan because si President was very mad," he said.

Though angered by the bombing in his hometown, Sueno said Duterte was not at all surprised when trusted aide Christopher "Bong" Go told him about the news.


"He did not rise up daw immediately kasi sabi niya, ‘ito na; ine-expect ko na ito.’ Hindi siya surprised. He knows that there is a big change. Naiipit na ang Abu Sayyaf at saka ang mga drug lords. Sabi niya, ‘talagang ito, gaganti sila' [He knew this was coming, that drug lords and ASG are about to attack," he said.