Coal plant security tightened

ILOILO CITY, Philippines -- Security measures have been strengthened at the coal-fired power plant in Brgy. Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City following the discovery of explosives near the area Sunday afternoon.

Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol, Jr., director of Police Regional Office-6, directed the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to reinforce the security within the 164-megawatt coal-fire power plant in Brgy. Ingore and its surroundings.

The Iloilo City Public Safety Company will be in support to the coal plant's existing secure forces while the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team will be put on stand by.

For now, police investigators are yet to determine the motive of the incident, said Querol. "We could not give conclusive assessment on the motive unless we could determine the source of the explosives," he said.

Querol said they have uncovered the lot number of the explosives that would help them trace the source and eventually lead to the perpetrators.

ICPO records showed that a resident discovered a 60 mm mortar cartridge, three 81 mm cartridges, a 57 mm cartridge, 105 mm mortar cartridge, three rifle grenades, a canister propellant, and a case for 81 mm mortar cartridge at Zone 2, Brgy. Ticud, La Paz, just 500 meters from where the coal plant is located.

The resident then informed the management of the Panay Energy Development Corporation, operator of the coal-fired power plant.

The Global Business Power Corporation, parent firm of PEDC, then deployed its intelligence monitoring team to check on the report.

Senior Supt. Marietto Valerio, Sr., ICPO director, said the physical inspection revealed that the mortar cartridges would not explode when used as a mortar. "Makapal na ang kalawang niya kaya malamang na hindi na siya sasabog," he said.

However, when used as an improvised explosive devise, it could still explode once it will be triggered by electrical devices, he said.

The ICPO has yet to identify the person or persons who left the sack full of explosives. Three days ago, residents claimed to have seen three unfamiliar persons on board a banca and docked near the area. Apart from that incident, residents did not notice anything suspicious.

For Valerio, the incident was meant to leave a message or warning for PEDC management. The environs of the coal plant is also home to a number of personalities who are allegedly members of New People's Army's legal fronts. "They are not suspects but we are looking into all possible motives and angles," he said.

Last week, PRO-6 put Western Visayas on full alert relative to the Labor Day celebration, and this was not downgraded due to the May 2 and 3 transport strike.

Security measures on vital installations were also heightened following the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the rebel attack in Bukidnon. "So, for now, any group could be a suspect and a target," Querol said. (FREEMAN)