MANILA, Philippines - The National Police has sent additional police personnel to strife-torn North Cotabato in southern Philippines, its spokesman said Tuesday.
But Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome refused to disclose the exact number of police reinforcements, expect to say that the same came from Western, Eastern and Central Visayas regions.
The fresh police forces, all members of the regions' Regional Mobile Group, arrived in North Cotabato Monday, Bartolome said.
"This is one way of assuring also our communities there that the government is doing its best so as not to have other municipalities be affected," Bartolome in a press briefing at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.
He refused to say if more cops would be deployed in the coming days.
Last week, the PNP deployed three battalions of policemen in North Cotabato following the deadline set by the government for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to vacate the villages they occupy.
Bartolome said all cops deployed in North Cotabato will remain in the province until the clearing operations of the military is finished and all the displaced residents have safely returned to their homes.
"Even after the clearing operations, the PNP will stay in the area, considering that we are territorial units and we have law enforcement functions," he said. - GMANews.TV