The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has deployed several teams of police marshals in areas of public convergence as part of its anti-terror measures in Metro Manila following the Davao City blast and intelligence reports of bomb attack in Metro Manila.
Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde, NCRPO director, said the deployment of police marshals is aimed at maximizing police visibility in all the possible potential targets in the metropolis, following reports that there are four women bombers sent to Metro Manila to carry out attacks.
“We have already intensified our police visibility and we even deployed police marshals in MRT and LRT stations and other areas here in Metro Manila,” Albayalde said.
“This is to thwart any plan to carry out any terrorism attack,” he added.
It was recalled that on August 26, the Philippine National Police leadership alerted all police stations in Metro Manila after reports that Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf commander Isnilon Hapilon sent four women bombers for bombing activities.
The move is to divert the attention of the government away from Sulu where thousands of fresh troopers were deployed to finish off the Abu Sayyaf.
“We are not taking any report of bomb attack lightly. But we assure the public that we are doing everything to protect them,” said Albayalde.
Fears of bomb attack in Metro Manila intensified after the Davao City blast that left 14 people dead and more than 70 others injured.
The spillover of attacks also happened in the past wherein extremists groups carried out a series of bomb attacks in Metro Manila every time an intensified military campaign was being launched against any group in Mindanao.
While the Metro Manila police force is now on highest security alert, Albayalde also called on the public to be extra vigilant as a way of helping them in thwarting any terror attack, if there is any, in the metropolis.
(AARON B. RECUENCO)
