Kidapawan City beefs up security against terror plot

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 19): Kidapawan  City beefs up  security  against  terror plot

City government here  has stepped  up  security  measures  in its  urban center  against  terror threats.

Following the  twin improvised explosive device  blast in  Tacurong  City on Monday evening,  Kidapawan  Mayor Joseph Evangelista  ordered the City Philippine National Police  Station and the  Public Safety Office to further intensify its bomb awareness campaign, Oplan Paalala, especially  in the urban  center.

The bomb awareness  campaign that  took  off during the  celebration of the Holy Week, has police patrol with a public announcement system  roaming around the city reminding the residents to be extra careful  and  be  vigilant  against terror threats.

Mayor Evangelista’s call  for an  increased  security measures  also came after  Kidapawan City figured in an intelligence report as  targets of bombing plot.  The same report  also named other cities in SOCCSKSARGEN Region as targets of the plot.

Evangelista called on the public to take the threats  seriously.

“Immediately  report  to  authorities  suspicious persons  and unattended bags in your villages and public places,” he said, advising them  to immediately keep a  distance from  suspected  IEDs.

On Monday,  two  IEDs  exploded  at  the Dragon Mart along the national highway in Barangay New Isabela in  Tacurong  City in Sultan Kudarat province  and  wounded 15  persons, including  3 army soldiers, 3  police officers and 9 civilians.

According to  a  report  from the Tacurong  City PNP, the  first IED exploded inside the comfort room  of Dragon Mart  at 6: 45 p.m. The  second went  off  outside the store at 7:10 p.m. when  emergency  responders  were already in the area.

Listed as  wounded in the incident report  were the  following:
1. Logen Presaldo, 42, AFP
2. Ramil Garde, AFP
3. Alvin Jimenez, 44, AFP
4. Danica ila Ballaran, 14, student, Brgy. San Pablo, Tacurong City
5. Reymart del Rosario, 21, student, Brgy. Calean, Tacurong City
 6. Saulsauto Manoy, 47, CDRRMC 
7.Joseph Liba, 33, driver, Brgy. San Pablo, Tacurong City
8. Leo Cueva, 34, teacher, Tantangan, South Cotabato
9. Roger Bamo, 47, ambulance driver, Brgy. New Isabela, Tacurong City
10. P02 Gerard Martin San Pedro
11. SPO2 Jasper Garcia
12. Micheal Pon
13. P01 Eleazar Sustiguer
14. Ryan Omar Ali, 27, Brgy. Poblacion, Tacurong City
15. Richard Piñeda, 36, tinsmith , Brgy. New Isabela, Tacurong City.

According to Sultan  Kudarat  provincial social  welfare and development officer  Henry  Albano, the  provincial  government  has already  extended  P10,000  aid to each of the  blast  victims while the  Department of Social  Welfare and Development and the  city government of Tacurong  will  foot the bill  for their  hospitalization.

In a separate  interview,  PSupt. Romeo  Galgo, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 12 confirmed  that full alert is observed in all cities of Region 12 due to terror  threat.

Galgo said local peace and order councils need to implement security measures to ensure safety of their respective residents as police and military units prepare to respond to any contingency.

 http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1611492579408/kidapawan-city-beefs-up-security-against-terror-plot