Car bomb alert

From the Mindanao Times (Jun 6): Car bomb alert

AUTHORITIES are on alert against seven vehicles coming from Western Mindanao suspected to be transporting explosives.

The car bomb alert came from the Police Maritime Group in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. The vehicles are said to be bound to Manila purportedly to spread terror. However, the destination of the cars could be diverted to any other places in the country.

Col. Erwin Bernard Neri, Task Force of Davao, confirmed they received the report last week and have already alerted all the concerned units.

Based on the report, authorities are alerted that the vehicles may slip into Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) in seaport terminals in Mindanao, which has been placed under Martial Law following the Marawi Crisis.

The police intelligence report said the seven vehicles allegedly rigged with explosives are Black Toyota Hilux, White Nissan Sentra, Black Toyota Land Cruiser, Black Honda Civic, Grey Toyota Vios, Black Isuzu DMax, and Black Toyota Innova.

The vehicles allegedly carry fake plate number.

In an interview with Supt. Joel Salcedo, chief of the Maritime police in Davao region, confirmed receiving their report but said it is still subject for validation.

Salcedo said they are not discounting any the possibility, thus they alerted all their personnel in the security measures in the port areas.

He said authorities are putting extra efforts so terrorists could not penetrate into the region.

“We also ask the cooperation of the community to report any suspicious group or individual so we can react immediately,” Salcedo added.

In a separate interview, Sr. Insp. Maria Theresita Gaspan, spokesperson Of Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said they are intensifying the conduct of checkpoint in the highways and in the coastal and port areas.

Last Friday, the DCPO conducted a surprise massive road security and safety operation, under its Oplan: Lambat Bitag Sasakyan, in the city’s major highways to get rid of carnapped, undocumented and delinquent vehicles.

The operation resulted to the impounding of 259 vehicles — 14 units of four-wheeled vehicles (three Hilux vans, four SUVs, 4 jeepneys and three other cars) and 245 motorcycles for serious traffic violations and the issuance of 634 temporary operators permits to minor traffic violators.

Mindanao is under Martial Law for 60 days following the attacks of the Maute bandits in Marawi City.

http://mindanaotimes.net/car-bomb-alert/