Locals urged amid bomb scare; Mayor calls on brgy vigilance
Security has been tightened in the city's malls as police move to intensify its presence on public places and conduct anew surprise checkpoints on motorists.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas also called on all village chiefs to be on high alert and inform his office of any suspicious activities or presence of suspicious locals in the community.
This, as two top officials of the city and province made similar appeals for residents to be vigilant and cooperate with authorities. The government's move triggered by Wednesday's discovery of an assembled "explosive component" in the second level parking lot of a shopping mall in Ledesma-Quezon Streets.
A week earlier a suspected bomb component placed inside six improvised canisters were also discovered outside the terminal in Iloilo port.
"I am requesting all barangay captains to be on alert for suspicious looking characters in your barangays. Please report to your precinct commanders or my office," the mayor said in text messages sent hours after the latest 'bomb' discovery.
Treñas is currently on leave while recuperating from an operation. Vice Mayor Guillermo Dela Llana is the acting mayor.
Similar calls from Councilor Erwin Plagata and Board Member Angelo Briones, chairmen of the Committee on Police Matters and Public Safety for the city and province, respectively.
Plagata in an interview told The News Today (TNT) he has yet to get a full report on the recent discovery of explosive component. And matters are still under study, he added, with no official motive nor suspects tagged by police. What is needed now, Plagata stressed, is a strengthened coordination between security agencies in Iloilo and the authorities with the cops spearheading intensified security operations.
"I appeal to our residents to be very vigilant especially in public places. Should there be an act of terror, it would be the public places that they will target. Good thing that what happened was discovered. But we still do not know if it was a deliberate attempt or just a threat. Either way, it is a wake-up call for us," he continued while adding, "but there is no need to panic. We should not let this incident disrupt our lives. Let our police do their work and for us to cooperate."
Sentiments shared by Board Member Briones who said he will convene village chiefs and officials of the 1,721 barangays throughout the province.
"The people should be guided on how to react on similar situations. We do not want them to act hastily like touch or open themselves the suspected packages. I ask our Police Provincial Director to help us out on this campaign. It is important that the people will know what to do and where to go. It is also important that we remain vigilant in our barangays," Briones said.
Asked on any "intelligence reports" regarding the presence of terrorists or supporters of terrorists in Iloilo towns, Briones said his regular rounds has not yielded any information on the matter.
The 'explosive component' found in Robinsons Mall was made after a team from 3rd Alert Security Agency and Detective Services made its second morning round in the parking lot area.
Two Belgian Malinois and a Jack Russel, high-breed nomad K9 Explosion Detection Dogs (EDD) led the handlers to the second floor level where the 'package' was left. Trainers Elmer Cresidio Jr, Ariel Lovina and team leader Noel Palec immediately knew something was not right when the three trained sniffing dogs stopped and held ground behind the exhaust fan. In-house mall security chief Cresencio Bayot Jr. was then alerted as he called on City Hall Explosive Ordnance Division's (EOD) SPO3 Rafael Managuit.
Robinsons management sent an official statement stating "During routine inspection, mall guards uncovered suspicious-looking articles found some distance from the mall. Police authorities were immediately contacted and these articles were immediately turned over to them for expert opinion."
Inside the black package were assembled explosive parts which include a blasting cap, a roll of packing tape, ½ cap attached to a 500ml mineral water detractor, three pieces of aluminum tube, one cellphone battery and a detonating cord. There was also a time fuse, some 18 pounds of black powder, 50 volts acd radio component and cotton balls.
Police Regional Office (PRO 6) regional director Chief Supt. Geary Barias who immediately called for a press conference after the discovery of the bomb components said it could be the handiwork of urban terrorists or Sparrow Unit of the New Peoples Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Barias said they had earlier received intelligence information about the plan of the NPA to sow terror in the city so that they could freely implement their plan of taking over town police stations.
Barias said if the police focus their attention in the city it would be easy for the NPA to penetrate town police stations.