ZAMBOANGA CITY – In response to a recent spate of shooting incidents, the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC), chaired by Mayor John Dalipe, has approved a resolution requesting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to assist local authorities in bolstering security measures across the city.
The resolution, filed by Councilor Vincent Paul “VP” Elago, chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Order in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, was passed during a special CPOC meeting held on Saturday, February 8, at the City Hall Conference Room. The measure calls for the deployment of military personnel in checkpoints, roving patrols, and foot patrols within a seven-kilometer radius of the city proper, working in tandem with the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO).
Crime Statistics and Rising Security Concerns
City police director Col. Kimberly Molitas presented the city’s crime statistics during the meeting, highlighting a continued decline in the eight focus crimes—homicide (2), murder (5), physical injury (4), rape (8), robbery (2), theft (17), and zero cases for both motorcycle and motor vehicle carnapping—between January 1 and February 6, 2025.
However, the occurrence of eight shooting incidents during the same period, including a recent attack on Falcatan Street in Tetuan that claimed three lives, has raised alarm among local officials and the public. Col. Molitas revealed that the latest perpetrator has been identified as a politician from a neighboring province who is running in the upcoming national and local elections.
“The matter will be elevated to the regional level for a special operation and to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for possible disqualification of the perpetrator,” Molitas stated. She also assured that witnesses have been placed under police protection.
Rationale for Military Deployment
Councilor Elago emphasized that the resolution was not a reflection of lost confidence in the police force, but rather a recognition of their limitations in personnel and coverage. The ZCPO, with only 1,500 officers, faces challenges in securing Zamboanga City’s vast 1,400-square-kilometer territory.
“With all due respect to our police, we acknowledge the unprecedented success rate of the ZCPO under Col. Molitas, having arrested 36 gunmen and neutralized four others last year, plus eight more in the first two months of this year,” Elago said. “But despite these efforts, it remains difficult to detect and preempt crimes, especially those motivated by personal grudges, which account for 95% of shooting incidents.”
The councilor asserted that increased military visibility in coordination with the police would serve as a strong deterrent against crime, particularly during the election period. He also assured that the measure would be temporary.
Existing Military-Police Operations
While the resolution calls for additional military deployment, Col. Rommel Cabanayan of the Joint Task Force Zamboanga (JTFZ) clarified that joint military-police operations are already in place. He noted that the JTFZ, through the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1), has been conducting daily patrols, while K9 and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units are engaged in vehicular patrols.
Despite this, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Elmeir Apolinario raised concerns about the city’s image, noting that the presence of heavily armed soldiers on the streets could alarm visitors and create an atmosphere of unrest.
As the city government seeks to strike a balance between security and public perception, the resolution marks a critical step in addressing the growing concerns over safety and stability in Zamboanga City, particularly in the lead-up to the elections.