Bomb scare

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Ricardo de Leon yesterday downplayed reports that a bomb with a timer was found at a pension house in Makati City yesterday morning.

De Leon, together with Chief Superintendent Prospero Noble Jr., district director of the Southern Police District (SPD), and Senior Superintendent Florante Baguio, SPD deputy district director for operations, rushed to the Makati City police headquarters at noon yesterday after finding out about the bomb threat.

Police officials, including Superintendent Jovito Gutierrez, Makati City police chief, took turns in telling the media that there were actually two threats, allegedly made by prank callers.

Gutierrez said between 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., a person called the police emergency center 117 and reported that a bomb was found at the 24-hour Day Up Pensionne Inn located along Magallanes Avenue in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City. Later, Police Community Precinct 3 received a call that a bomb was left inside a car on Makati Avenue.

But Noble said both turned out to be false reports.

"There are a lot of prank calls as a result of the bombing of a train in Spain and the fire that hit Super Ferry 14. What we do is share the information with other districts so if a similar situation arises in their area, they would know how to deal with it," he said.

Tenants of the Day Up Pensionne Inn said a couple came to the establishment at around 8 p.m. last Sunday to rent a room. They were billeted at a Room 5, but left after 15 minutes to eat dinner. The couple never returned.

The following morning, one of the roomboys checked the room and saw a bag near the headboard. Inside, they allegedly found a timer with wires attached to containers of gasoline. They immediately called the police for assistance.

Policemen including members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team swarmed the area. They even inspected the garbage cans outside the three-story building.

Witnesses claimed cops took the bag.

"I saw personnel dressed in uniform escort the two roomboys outside of the inn and board a multicab vehicle," said a bystander.

But police insisted the bomb threat at the inn was a prank. They also checked on possible abandoned vehicles on Makati Avenue but found nothing.

De Leon said he discussed target hardening drills in the city.

"We discussed security, especially on key infrastructure, embassies and soft targets such as malls. All our people have been deployed to man critical areas," he said.

Some 100 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) has been divided into teams for deployment in the city. They will also be sending out three bomb-sniffing dogs to the streets.

In Manila, the Western Police District (WPD) beefed up security around vital installations following reports about the presence of members of the Abu Sayyaf in Metro Manila.

WPD director Superintendent Pedro Bulaong said a number of uniformed policemen were deployed in vital government installations including Malacañang, the oil depot, Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations and the US Embassy.

Bulaong noted that police deployment would be round-the-clock.

WPD spokesman Chief Inspector Gerry Agunod said other security measures will be implemented in the country’s capital to ensure the safety of the public.

The WPD also implemented a no-parking policy in front of the WPD headquarters along U.N. Avenue in Ermita, Manila to avoid car bombs.

Agunod said barangay officials were also tapped to monitor suspicious looking individuals roaming in their respective communities. – With Cecille Suerte Felip