By Romie A. Evangelista

POLICE want fiestas and other Christian festivities in Central Mindanao postponed or at least shortened in the wake of bombings carried out by rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Chief Superintendent Fidel Cimatu, Region 12 director, cited the New Year?s Eve bombing of a General Santos City bazaar where at least 25 persons were injured as one of the many incidents that warranted such a request.

On Jan. 3, a grenade was exploded during a carnival in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat and injured five persons.

Cimatu said rogue MILF rebels carried out 34 attacks and atrocities in December 2008 alone and there were indications that they were planning more attacks.

Police put up more checkpoints and deployed 213 new police recruits and more police patrols to try and avert these terror plans.

While closely coordinating with the AFP on intelligence information, the Central Mindanao police are also egging on the LGUs and big business establishments in the region to install closed-circuit TV cameras in high-risk areas or where people converge most of the time.

Cimatu also asked for the convening of the Regional Peace and Order Council to discuss measures to help stabilize the situation.

The rebel groups have their ?Zero Hour Plan? which includes bombings and harassment of villages and PNP and AFP detachments in several cities and towns in North Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat, Cimatu said.

The MILF leadership has denied that such a plan exists but said only conventional armies have a ?zero hour? in launching preemptive strikes against their enemy unlike the ?protracted? and ?people-based? MILF-led jihad.