MPD holds bomb drills, denies threats

Rescue personnel attend to ‘victims’ in a terrorist attack simulation at a mall in Pandacan, Manila yesterday. Edd Gumban

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District has been holding bomb drills this week but Senior Superintendent Rolando Nana, MPD chief, yesterday denied there are any threats in the city.

“We have not monitored any threat anywhere in the country, contrary to what other people are saying. The (police) do not want to be caught by surprise,” he said.

The series of bomb drills being conducted by all MPD stations are “only preparations for any eventuality that could happen in case there is a terrorist attack,” Nana added.

The latest bomb drill was at a shopping mall in Paco yesterday. 

Another police official said the order to conduct bomb drills was issued by National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Joel Pagdilao following coordinated bomb and gun attacks in Jakarta, Indonesia earlier this month.    

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