MANILA, (PNA) — In wake of the attack of the rogue Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members in Zamboanga City Monday early morning, Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar announced that the local government will be imposing a curfew starting 8 p.m.
This will in effect until 5 a.m.
“With the current situation in the city, we are declaring the imposition of curfew in Zamboanga City starting 8 p.m. (tonight) to 5 a.m. This is with authority from the City Council which met on a special session just this afternoon,” she added.
With the curfew, Climaco-Salazar said only people working directly in managing the situation will be permitted to go around the city including those in the medical profession and working for evacuation and distribution of relief goods.
Others who will be out on the streets will be invited for interrogation.
“On this light, we advise people to stay in your homes, do not go out of the streets unless it is of utmost importance. The police and military are properly handling the situation,” she added.
Climaco-Salazar also announced that classes will remain suspended in all levels in both public and private institutions Tuesday.
“Work in all offices likewise is suspended except for offices providing frontline services like social welfare, city administrator, city mayor’s office, city engineer’s office, city health office and several others,” she added.
The Zamboanga mayor stressed that President Benigno S. Aquino III has personally sent Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and we have met with top police and military authorities this afternoon to tackle solutions to the crisis.
“As of now, per record from the City Social Welfare Office, there are 174 families with 1,099 individuals housed at Tetuan Parish, 50 families with 200 individuals at Tetuan Central School, 25 families with 115 individuals at ICAS-tetuan, 231 families with 1,071 individuals at the grandstand as of 3:30 p.m. (Monday),” she added.
Casualties remain at four killed and 14 wounded.
Number of hostages, per Zamboanga City Police Office report is 87 in Kasanyangan, 20 in Sta. Catalina mosque, 20 in Talon-talon mosque, 10 in Camacop Sta. Barbara, undetermined number at SDK building in Sta Catalina, undetermined number at Fernandez store in Lustre.
“Again we call on our people to remain calm but vigilant and report any suspicious or unusual incidents in your area to any of the hotline numbers—command center—992-23-85 or 992-31-37; police—117 and 166, police operations—09063680749,” Climaco-Salazar concluded.