Recent Oro bombing: Chamber member-firms urged of stricter security

FOLLOWING the recent bombing in Cagayan de Oro, the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc (OroChamber) is urging its member-companies to implement stricter security measures in their respective establishments to deter any untoward incident.

In its letter to the member-companies, the OroChamber also urged the membership to report any unusual or suspicious character in their respective areas to police authorities through police and army hotline numbers 09177079689 and 09173224104 respectively.

Early dawn Thursday, October 11, 2012, an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted near the Maxandrea Hotel on J.R. Borja and Aguinaldo Street exploded, killing two civilians and wounding two police officers, which forced police authorities to lock down the immediate vicinity of said hotel.

The second suspected IED was discovered underneath a vehicle owned by a TV network in Cagayan de Oro, which was parked near the hotel while police and army EODT are conducting clearing operations. It was immediately defused on plane by army EODT.

Last July 5, 2009, police authorities recovered undetonated IED made of grenades with attached cell phone inside the LimKetKai Mall also in Cagayan de Oro.

“In these incidents, innocent people were the ones victimized, business activities were disrupted, embarrassed the government, and had sowed anxiety and fear in the minds of the people. There is usually little or no warning for a terrorist incident. Be constantly prepared! There is no excuse for not taking every step necessary to meet a bomb threat,” a statement from an independent power producer in Mindanao was quoted.

The generation firm also released tips on what-to-dos in case of bombing and bomb threats—stay calm; be aware of surroundings; take precautions at home and work; note suspicious items, packages, vehicles, activities and behavior that seem out of place and report them to the appropriate authorities; delete and do not forward rumors or unverified report received through text messages; and organize and actively participate in monitoring groups in your neighborhood and/or in your workplace.

The government has recognized targets prone to bombings—airports, seaports, and bus terminals; major cities and landmarks; large crowds; critical infrastructure such as power plants, transportation centers, or communication centers; business and industrial centers such as malls, sports facilities and the likes; and public transport.