PNP, Army in Bicol, Calabarzon undergo post blast investigation course to cope with bomb threats

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 17): PNP, Army in Bicol, Calabarzon undergo post blast investigation course to cope with bomb threats

Some 57 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Army and other law enforcement agencies from Bicol and the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) regions are undergoing post blast investigation course at the Police Regional Office-Bicol (PRO5) headquarters here to help them handle bomb threats and bombing incidents.

Senior Inspector Ma.Luisa Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said the course, that runs from November 14 to 25 at Camp Simeon Ola, headquarters of PRO5 in this city, is intended to enhance the capability of the military and law enforcement agencies in intelligence gathering and handling of bomb scares and incidences of explosions.

She said the participants are members of intelligence operatives, Special Warfare and Armed Tactics or SWAT, explosives ordnance division (EOD) of the Bicol and Calabarzon police, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Directorate for Intelligence, Regional Special Training Unit-5, National Bureau of Investigation-5 and EOD Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division of the Army.

Calubaquib said police and military officers who have the expertise on intelligence gathering and bombs are handling the course.

She said the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies want to address the recent bomb scare in Luzon, especially in Bicol and Calabarzon regions.

Two weeks ago, some government agencies in Albay such as the Department of Interior and Local Government regional office, malls and schools received a bomb threat through text messages.
Investigation, however, showed it was a prank.

"Because of the bombing incident in Mindanao and the recent bomb threats in Luzon from a suspected terrorist group and lawless elements, we cannot disregard the possibility of terrorist attacks,” Calubaquib added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=940874