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Monday, February 21, 2005
Grenade found inside jeepney
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- A rifle grenade was found inside a public utility jeepney, but Task Force Davao chief Colonel Eduardo del Rosario brushed off fears that it was intended to harm anyone.
The military-issued rifle grenade did not have a timing device and couldn't have exploded if not loaded into its launcher, del Rosario said Sunday.
"It's harmless," del Rosario assured.
The colonel said the grenade could have been accidentally dropped by a government trooper inside the jeepney.
The rifle grenade was discovered by Maximo Castro, driver of the jeepney, at around 12 noon while he was about to take his lunch along Jacinto St.
Castro said he discovered the grenade under the passenger seat at the back of his vehicle.
The driver said he did not know who placed or left the rifle grenade inside his vehicle.
Davao City Police Office director Senior Superintendent Conrado Laza said they are now investigating the incident.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte placed the alert level in the city last Friday at orange, as a result of the Valentine's Day bombing of a bus terminal in the city.
The orange alert status was based on consolidated information gathered that the risk of attack on government facilities and places in the city was high.
All operating units on public safety have been instructed to remain in high level of readiness to prevent any untoward incident from happening.
Residents of this city were also advised to remain calm and alert and to report immediately to police or call 911 any suspicious activity or person.
An orange alert is the second highest on a five-color terror alert scale that was established in the US in March 2002 in the wake of terrorist attacks there.
The lowest in the scale is green, followed by blue, then yellow, orange, and red.
Green means a low risk of terrorist attack.
Blue is a general risk, and agencies are asked to review and update emergency response procedures.
Yellow is an "elevated condition," meaning there is a significant risk of attack.
Increased surveillance of critical locations and implementing some emergency response plans are called for.
Orange signifies a high risk of attack.
This means the government should coordinate necessary security efforts with armed forces or law enforcement agencies and take additional precautions at public events.
Red means a "severe risk" of attack and may require the pre-positioning of specially trained teams, closing public and government facilities and monitoring transportation systems.
Being on orange alert means residents are advised to observe extreme caution because untoward incidents are "likely to happen". (With Peng Aliño)
(February 21, 2005 issue)
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