Pagadian police tighten city security ahead of polls: ‘No ID, no entry’

Inquirer files

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — The local police here have asked residents and visitors to bring their identification cards when they go around the city as part of the security measures implemented here ahead of the upcoming elections.

Lt. Col. Jerwin Cagurin, chief of the Pagadian City police, posted their request on their official Facebook account on Tuesday, April 1, because they had encountered persons who could not present any identification at checkpoints set up to tighten security for the upcoming elections.

According to Cagurin, new faces arriving in the communities have been immediately reported to their office, but when they asked the visitors for their identification, most of them have nothing to present.

He said the local police have been intensifying security measures to prevent guns-for-hire and other lawless elements from entering the city.

Although there were no areas of concern in the city classified under the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) code red for critical areas, or orange, which indicates the presence of armed groups, the city’s Barangay Lapedian has been placed under yellow code for its history of political unrest, said city election officer and lawyer Jed Labador.

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On November 8, 2023, newly elected chair Rofoldo Dacol of Barangay Lapedian village was gunned down by still unidentified attacker outside his house.

“We are asking all people in this city, especially visitors from other areas, to bring with them their valid ID or other documents for identification, and present them when they pass by checkpoints,” reads the Cebuano announcement from the police. “Your cooperation will greatly help the peace and order of our city of Pagadian.”

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