THE lobby by Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Noli Taliño for a selective shutdown of cell sites for tomorrow’s solemn procession of the image of the Sto.Niño and Sunday’s Sinulog Grand Parade is not new. Cell phone signals have been jammed in other major crowd drawers like during the recent feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. Bombs planted by terrorists are triggered remotely.
Reports say that cell phone signals were shut down during the annual procession of the Black Nazarene on January 9, an activity that drew an estimated 1.5 million people. Prior to the procession, reports say signal jammers would be deployed, which meant that the jamming would be area-specific and very limited. The effect of the shutting down of cell sites, however, would be wider.
There are pros and cons on the matter, that is why the move should be subjected to deeper scrutiny. Consider that the signal jamming would mean that people in a specific area would be deprived of the capability to receive phone calls and internet data and to send text messages. While the communication breakdown could prevent the triggering of bombs, it could also be a problem in cases of personal and other emergencies.
Still security is the priority and rightly so. It was only last month when a bomb that exploded during the town fiesta in Hilongos, Leyte injured a number of people. The bomb, also cell phone-triggered, was planted near a crowd watching a boxing match in the Hilongos plaza.
Which brings us to our other point, which is that an attack using a remotely triggered explosive device may not necessarily be done in major Sto. Niño fiesta events like the procession and the Sinulog Grand Parade but in minor activities related to it. That is why jamming cell phone signals or shutting down cell sites should not result in the lowering of our guard.
Security should not only be a concern during the procession or the grand parade but all throughout from now until the fiesta or even after it. The enemies of peace and order use the element of surprise in their operation, meaning that they strike where and when we least expect it. That is why vigilance should not be like a faucet that one turns on or off when we want to.