The Station Commander of the Port Police of the Philippine Ports Authority in Dumaguete has finally reported to the Philippine Coast Guard Station Thursday.
According to Coast Guard Dumaguete Station Chief Lt. Junior Grade Donna Liza Ramacho, Port Police Station Commander Rufino Valenzuela came to her office Thursday afternoon to discuss security operations at the City port.
Ramacho said she had previously summoned Valenzuela for at least three times to discuss port security measures after the Department of Transportation & Communications, through Sec. Arturo Tugade, issued Department Order 2017-008 designating the Coast Guard as lead agency, instead of the PPA, on port security operations starting June 5.
The Department order was issued in line with President Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao, and the ongoing conflict in Marawi City between government forces and extremist terror groups like the Maute and Abu Sayyaf.
The Coast Guard Station Commander had been “snubbed” a few times by Valenzuela after the Department Order came out.
Ramacho had described it as an “open defiance” to the Department order, while the PPA had said it was still consulting higher headquarters regarding the Order.
However, on Thursday afternoon, Valenzuela finally went to the Coast Guard Station to discuss security matters with the Coast Guard, according to Ramacho.
Lt. Junior Grade Ramacho said Valenzuela told her he failed to come to her office during previous invitations because his “blood sugar levels shot up”.
Ramacho declined to further elaborate on their meeting with Valenzuela, except that the latter had assured of the PPA’s full cooperation in the implementation of port security operations at the Dumaguete port and other ports in the Province.
The PPA port police is expected to submit to the Coast Guard its port security plan, on condition that this cannot be shared to the public for obvious reasons, said Ramacho.
The PPA has asked the Coast Guard, represented by Ramacho, to sign a memorandum of understanding involving some confidentiality clause regarding port security operations, but the Coast Guard Chief said she has yet to review the document and consult with her superiors prior to signing it.
Ramacho has re-assured that they are doing their best, alongside other security providers like the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, and the Maritime Police, and now with the PPA, to secure the Dumaguete port, which is “just a stone’s throw away” from the Dapitan port in Mindanao.
Present during the meeting Thursday afternoon were Valenzuela, Ramacho, PPA OIC Ponciano Calingacion, and Coast Guard Station Dumaguete Port Security POIC, PO3 Alfahum Abdula. (Judy Flores Partlow)
