The police have enlisted the help of hotel and pension house owners in Bacolod City, in the fight against terrorism.

Supt. Pedro Merced, officer-in-charge of the Bacolod City Police Office, yesterday said he has written to officers of the Hotel and Pension Houses Association in Bacolod and asked them to require guests, especially foreigners, to present passports upon checking in.

The security in Negros Occidental has been tightened in preparation for the hosting of five major sport events of the 2005 Southeast Asia Games in Bacolod City, slated next month.

If there are admissions of foreigners, inform us through 166 so we can verify the nature of their visits, Merced asked the owners of hotels and pension houses in the city. The military and police are not taking chances when 5,000 athletes from 10 countries converge in Manila and other parts of the Philippines, including Bacolod City. This is because of reports that Jemaah Islamiyah bombers may carry out suicide bombings anywhere.

Military intelligence reports said two terrorist cells of Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group have established an alliance with Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"The athletes will be chaperoned by security whenever they go to functions and events," Jose Cojuangco, chairman of the Philippine Olympic Organizing Committee, said.

Normally, terrorist groups hide in peaceful places and refrain from committing atrocities, to avoid detection, Merced said.

Police Director Rodolfo Tor, PhilSoc security chief, said police units in areas outside Metro Manila, including Bacolod, where there will be scheduled events have also been put on heightened alert. While they have not monitored any immediate threat to the SEA Games in Bacolod City, Merced said they are not taking chances. He said he has tapped all sectors of society to pre-empt any violent activities that may be staged by any lawless group - local or international.

The five major sports events of the 2005 Southeast Asia Games to be held in Bacolod City are indoor and beach volleyball, men's football, boxing and weightlifting, scheduled next month.

The three simultaneous suicide bombings in major tourist resorts of Bali, Indonesia, that claimed the lives of 26 persons and caused injuries to more than 100, has further alarmed the authorities in Western Visayas.

"We are aware of what's happening in the region", Tor said. "We have ample intelligence units who will assist us in monitoring these terrorist targets," he added.

Merced also said "We have enough troops to secure the SEA Games".

The 600-strong Regional Mobile Group, 303rd Infantry Brigade and policemen from Panay will beef up the BCPO and Negros Occidental police in securing the SEA games, that will form part of the security task force composed of about 15,000 police and soldiers.*GPB

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