THE Davao City Security and Safety cluster will be organizing simulation exercises involving security crisis situations like grenade throwing, active shooter, and hostage-taking on September 27, 2022.
“Ang pinakatumong ani is i-gauge nato ang operational readiness ng mga security and safety units (The aim of this exercise is to gauge the operational readiness of our security and safety units). Ang pinakaimportante ani yong inter-operability response on a terror attack (The most important thing is the inter-operability response on a terror attack),” Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) Head PCol. Angel Sumagaysay said during an interview on the Davao City Disaster Radio on September 23, 2022.
Sumagaysay said the simulation exercise will be held inside a school along F. Torres Street, Davao City with the Department of Education taking part in the simulation.
“Once may mga simulation (When we have a simulation), it’s very important yung participation ng isang establishment kung asa nato ipahigayon ang simulation exercise (the participation of the establishment where we will have the exercise is very important), hindi lang yung school but pati mga establishments within that area kasi nga you cannot predict someday kung asa mahitabo ang mga insidente (not only the school but even the establishments within the area since you cannot predict that someday, a similar incident could happen within the area),” Sumagaysay said.
According to Sumagaysay, those participating in the simulation exercise will include Task Force-Davao, Davao City Police Office, Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC), Philippine Navy, Philippine Coastguard, Maritime Police, Tactical Operations Group-Davao of the Philippine Air Force, City Transport and Traffic Management Office, 911, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency-Davao, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Highway Patrol, Philippine National Police-Crime Laboratory, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, City Information Office and other supporting agencies.
Sumagaysay said that the simulation this year is more complicated compared to previous simulations.
“Mas gi-complicate nato ang scenario kay para mas makita nato ang response sa mga concerned unit (We made the scenarios more complicated so that we will be able to see how our concerned units respond),” Sumagaysay said.
Sumagaysay said the chosen scenarios are timely due to rampant shooting incidents in the Western counties that have killed several students. He said the citizen’s response during the simulation will play a big part in the evaluation.
Meanwhile, Sumagaysay encouraged Dabawenyos to cooperate during the simulation as well as their patience for any discomfort that will likely be experienced as road and border closures and traffic rerouting are expected to happen. KSD