DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Police authorities here claimed they discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) with a grenade in Barangay Lasang here on Thursday, February 8.
Colonel Nolasco Mempin, TFD commander told Davao Today in a phone interview that the grenade is believed to be a signature bomb of the New Peoples Army (NPA) for its tactical offensives.
Police said a concerned citizen reported to the authorities about an unattended suspicious baggage in a grassy area along National Highway Kilometer 28 at around 6:50 am on Thursday.
The location of the grenade wrapped in hard paper and inside a plastic was about 1.2 kilometers away from the military detachment of Task Force Davao (TFD) in Barangay Lasang.
The police and military force are set to conduct a series of anti-terror simulation exercises dubbed as “Southern Storm” that will be pilot tested in the city this month.
The simulation exercises would focus on vital infrastructure and facilities in the city, including entry points such as the International Airport and coastal areas.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had earlier said that the exercises will require “a lockdown of the city and the members of our communities need to be informed.”
In a statement on January 30, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairperson Jose Maria Sison said that the said anti-terror drills in the city would “create an atmosphere of terror and hysteria” to pave way for a nationwide martial law.
“According to reliable sources, the Duterte terrorist clique is also planning to stage bloody acts of terrorism against the civilian population like Marcos did in the past in order to maximize the anti-communist hysteria and facilitate the proclamation of martial law nationwide and the railroading of charter change for a fake kind of federalism under the fascist dictatorship of Duterte,” Sison said.
Earlier last month, the police also reported that three old bombs were dug up at the ongoing coastal road construction in Barangay Talomo.
The TFD and Davao City Police Office (DCPO) are continuing their intensified and stricter security measures especially with the city’s upcoming hosting of big events such as the Davao Region Athletic Association (DAVRAA) Meet 2018 where more than 7,000 student athletes are expected to join.
Mempin urged the public to be vigilant and to report immediately discovery of any suspicious items.
He added that the intensified security measures in the city will ensure a safe and secure environment. (davaotoday.com)
