THE local police is ready to thwart any possible spillover here of the total war launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines against the Abu Sayyaf bandits and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao.

This was disclosed by Supt. Dionisio Borromeo, newly assumed officer-in-charge of the Dagupan police, in a call on Monday before the city council headed by Vice Mayor and presiding officer Belen Fernandez.

He said there is a possibility that members of the Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) escaping the fighting in Mindanao would come here and seek shelter with the Muslim communities in Dagupan or any part of Pangasinan.

While dubbing this as “a remote possibility”, Borromeo said this is nevertheless anticipated; pointing out that the police has already adopted counter-measures.

Borromeo said they have ready an anti-terrorism team, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) to meet threats of terrorists who may come and hide in the different Muslim communities in Dagupan City and Pangasinan and do mischiefs while here.

He said the proven three-tiered defense system will be the counter-plan of the police against terrorists moving to other areas to hide from government pursuit. These include intelligence gathering, target hardening and organization of crisis management team so that in case something wrong will happen in the city, this team will be tapped to handle the situation.

The crisis management team will be led by the city mayor, Alipio Fernandez Jr.

Under the three-tiered defense team system, the police will monitor strictly the presence of possible terrorists in the area, especially presence of suspicious-looking persons in Muslim communities.

“We already know that if the terrorists escape from the fighting in Mindanao, the first thing they will do is to hide in Muslim communities in Luzon, he said.