ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Celso Lobregat urged Tuesday the Zamboangueños to be security-conscious amid the violence in the nearby provinces of Basilan and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Lobregat issued the call to avert spill-over of violence since Zamboanga City is located in between the two provinces where the military is separately pursuing groups of rebels.
The mayor said the local police force and the military's Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ) have taken steps to ensure the protection of the city but everybody's assistance is needed.
"We have to be prepared. It is better to be safe than sorry," Lobregat said.
However, he urged the residents not to be panicky "though very, very alert but, at the same time, vigilant."
Text messages are circulating about the presence of suspected rebel group since the violent incident broke out in Basilan and in Zamboanga Sibugay.
"Let us be vigilant but sober, alert but calm, and active but not over reactive," he said. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)
