Security tightened in Iloilo Army camps, govt installations
The entire hierarchy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Western Visayas joined nationwide call for a full "red alert" status following yet another coup attempt in Manila.
With five major army camps here fully-secured, Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, commanding officer of the AFP's 3rd Civil Relations Group declared that AFP forces in the region remain loyal to the Constitution.
As such, the AFP here is confident that no sympathy-moves will happen as he went to condemn the coup plotters calling those behind as "destabilizers."
Marquez said that with the "red alert" comes the standing order of no troop movement unless duly authorized by higher-ups.
"The Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Rangers, we are all respecting and remain loyal to the Chain of Command with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as our Commander-in-Chief," Captain Marquez said when reached for The News Today (TNT) for interview.
Such as he decried the incident saying the AFP officers who took part in the ‘revolt' "has no regard to fellow soldiers who will be court-marshalled but only to themselves."
"Definitely no movement, no sympathy from us here," Captain Marquez stressed. "Everybody will stay put inside the camps until further orders from our superiors.'
Iloilo is home to major army camps such as Camp Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz, Camp Hernandez in Dingle, Iloilo, Camp Fullon in Antique, Camp Monteclaro in Miag-ao, Iloilo and the headquarters of the 47th Infantry Battalion in Calinog, Iloilo.
Meantime, security has also been tightened in government installations as added precautionary measures by the AFP in the region.
"It is most likely that the communist terrorists will take advantage of the situation and like the destabilizers, will create further havoc in total disregard to the greater good of the greater majority. So let us be on guard as well against the communist terrorists as we stay alert throughout Western Visayas," Captain Marquez ended.