BCPO urges formation of bomb disposal team

THE formation of a bomb disposal squad, in support of the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), is an essential element in police readiness to deal with untoward incidents.

BCPO Director Celestino Guara said Thursday the creation of the bomb disposal team, which is better known as the Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, is indispensable to the city as part of the preparation for possible bomb threats coming from terrorists operating in the city.

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"We need the expertise of the EOD to be sufficiently prepared and knowledgeable in dealing with different kinds of bomb threats," Guara stressed.

Guara said he will choose five personnel from the BCPO to be trained as members of the city's EOD unit.

Earlier, Guara said though the BCPO has sufficient qualified personnel to form the Swat team, the BCPO lacks the training and the equipment needed to adequately respond to a possible hostage crisis, similar to what happened in the recent hostage-taking at Quirino Grandstand, Manila.

He said he will create two Swat teams and an additional team for the bomb disposal unit. It will take about 25 personnel to man the three teams and it may cost almost P10 million to fully equip them all.

Guara also said the city needs a crime laboratory. Bacolod used to have a crime laboratory but due to inefficient maintenance, it was transferred to the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office.