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Saturday, August 25, 2007
Bomb wasn't for Cebu: police
CEBU CITY -- A bomb-sniffing dog gave a suspected terrorist away, after it refused to budge after sniffing a sack of vegetables inside the boat.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. said the arrest of Noy Ampuan, also known as Jino Mosa and Jino Andal, proved that the security measures they have in place are working.
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Ampuan, 19, was on board Superferry 5 from Zamboanga City to Manila. The ship made a stopover in Cebu when policemen, who were alerted about a man carrying explosives, arrested him
The explosive items -- a 90mm recoilless rifle projectile and a M76 rifle grenade -- were hidden inside a sack containing bananas.
The policemen who boarded the vessel brought with them a bomb-sniffing dog.
“I would like to emphasize that it (bomb) was not intended for Cebu. His destination was Manila; the boat merely dropped by Cebu,” Alarcio said.
But Cebuanos should remain vigilant as Cebu remains a target of terrorist attacks, said Cebu City Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., chairman of the Council committee on public order and safety.
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) is also strictly implementing security and safety measures, said Deputy General Manager Dennis Villamor.
Speaking before the Tapok-Tapok Media Forum, Villamor said that unlike before, passengers cannot anymore board directly the vessel because they are required to pass the terminal.
At the terminal, the passengers and their baggage go through X-ray machines before they are brought to the vessel via CPA shuttle buses.
The CPA also increased the number of security guards from three security agencies to augment the CPA police under Captain Gleen Sarador.
To make sure that the police and security officers can immediately respond to any emergency, the CPA bought five police cars, three motorcycles, firearms and conducted safety and security trainings and people management.
Villamor said that while they are confident that Cebu ports are safe, they are worried about arriving passengers who may bring contraband or bombs to Cebu because of lax security at the port of origin.
He cited the killing of the former governor of Biliran province in September last year as he was about to leave a vessel that docked in Cebu.
“We are trying our best that all the people coming in and out of Cebu ports will be safe. But we have no assurance that passengers who arrive Cebu from various provinces are properly screened from their port of origins”, Villamor said.
Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon told Cebu reporters Friday that the arrest was a result of previous directives for lower units to anticipate possible diversionary tactics of terrorist groups.
The current strongholds of terrorist groups in Mindanao are targets of intense military operations, following the killings of Marine soldiers, 10 of whom were beheaded last July in Basilan.
Calderon said that aside from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf, communist insurgents and criminal elements could also take advantage of the situation.
Both Calderon and Alarcio did not say what group Musa belongs to or what his plans were, saying he is still under investigation.
Calderon appealed to the community to report any suspicious looking persons or activities.
He said that aside from the arrest in Cebu, five bombers were also arrested in Region 12 with two cases filed.
Also, police were also able to thwart terrorist attacks in three instances in Surala, South Cotabato and Pagadian City.
Councilor Pe also reminded the Cebuanos of a 2006 incident when two men left behind a bomb outside a mall at the North Reclamation Area.
The bomb was discovered and the suspects killed in a shootout with Cebu City policemen who immediately responded to the alarm raised by a concerned citizen.
Acting Mayor Michael Rama said active participation of the community plays an essential role in stopping lawless elements.
“Crimes will be committed if people are not vigilant,” he said.
“We don’t have enough policemen to cover all grounds. The community should also actively do its part,” Pe also said.
He said authorities are concerned, but had always been careful and active in getting up-to-date intelligence on terrorist threats. (MEA/RHM/EOB/Sun.Star Cebu)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (August 25, 2007 issue)
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