LRT security tight; last year’s blasts recalled

The police and personnel of the Light Rail Transit searched through every piece of baggage of LRT passengers yesterday, a year after a bomb exploded in one of its coaches at the Blumentritt station in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Despite the strict security measures, the volume of passengers riding the LRT remained the same, according to security guard Francisco Cortez Jr., assigned at the United Nations (UN) station in Manila.

In all of LRT’s 18 stations, from Monumento in Caloocan to Baclaran in Parañaque, security was at its tightest with bomb-sniffing dogs regularly making the rounds to prevent a repetition of the bombing.

Among the passengers, used to the inspections and the presence of the dogs, there was no talk of last year’s incident as they went about their business, many with children in tow. The atmosphere was in stark contrast to the eerie silence and suspicious gazes passengers had for others in the aftermath of the LRT explosion.

"I am really concerned that the bombing may be repeated that is why we are not taking chances," LRTA administrator Teodoro Cruz said.

The LRTA has since formed its own bomb-disposal teams to react quickly to suspicious baggage on the premises of the LRT.

In random interviews made by The STAR, majority of passengers claimed they don’t mind the bombing incidents and still take the LRT daily because the elevated train is the fastest means of transportation from the northern to the southern part of Metro Manila or vice versa.

"Instead of being caught in the traffic jams on Rizal and Taft Avenues, we would rather take the LRT. We just hope the presence of policemen would deter criminal elements from blasting the LRT again," LRT passenger Marcelo Marcelo said.

Divina Urtan, also a passenger of the LRT, shared Marcelo’s view. "I think terrorists can no longer outsmart the police guarding the LRT."

"We are not afraid to take the LRT. Hopefully, the bombing last year won’t happen again. With the number of policemen on guard, terrorists cannot get on the trains," passenger Pacifico de Guzman said.

The LRT blast rocked Metro Manila on Rizal Day last year. At least 22 persons were killed and scores were wounded. Four other bombs exploded at Ferguzon Plaza in Manila, Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, a gasoline station in Makati City and a bus station in Cubao, Quezon City. – Cecille Suerte Felipe and Jose Aravilla