The Zamboanga City Police Office and Joint Task Force Zamboanga together with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office remain on heightened alert with strengthened visibility in strategic locations to forestall lawless activities in light of the Jolo bombing incident early Sunday, January 27. 

This, as Mayor Beng Climaco is closely coordinating with the security cluster to ensure that there will be no spill over of the incident. She has called on security forces to reinforce visibility and double efforts in the conduct of patrols to deter lawlessness.

Mayor Climaco has urged residents to stay calm but vigilant and to immediately report the presence of suspicious persons, baggage, as well as abandoned vehicles in their vicinity.

She likewise asked the people to refrain from forwarding text messages as well as sharing posts of unverified reports to prevent panic and confusion.

ZCDRRMO response teams under Dr. Elmeir Apolinario are on 24 hour duty and have been directed to provide assistance in the transport of Jolo bombing victims from the port to local hospitals.

Reports indicate that dozens of people including 7 soldiers were killed while over 70 others were injured in the explosions that rocked the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, on Sunday, January 27.

The reports also say that two improvised explosive devices were used to bomb the cathedral- the first exploded inside the cathedral while the second exploded at the entrance while AFP personnel responded to the first explosion.(Sheila Covarrubias)