Bomb threat turns out to be simulation exercise

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 27): Bomb threat turns out to be simulation exercise

A bag left unattended at the Cebu Ports Authority on Tuesday disrupted the inter-agency meeting in preparation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2017 Senior Economic Officials Meeting next week.

Top police officials and Public Safety Battalion personnel were among the members of inter-agency group preparing the security measures for the Asean meetings in Cebu.

The members of the group were asked to vacate the Social Hall of the Cebu Ports Authority.

“They told us to move out, so we hastened to the nearest exit,” said Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, who was among those attending the meeting.

Police Regional Director Noli Taliño later explained that the unattended bag was part of a simulation exercise to test the security preparedness of the agencies involved in the ASEAN gathering next week.

Talino was dismayed, however, over the slow response of the nearest police station with a bomb squad.

Contents of the bag placed beside the garbage bin near the Social Hall were found to be electronic air fresheners.

Around 300 delegates are expected to attend the ASEAN senior officials meetings next week.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/997672