Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director, Police Brigadier Danilo P Macerin reported to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) PBGEN Vicente D Danao Jr the successful conduct of Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) on Anti-Terrorism and Crisis Management in Quezon City, highlighting a suicide bombing scenario to increase public awareness and security preparedness.
The SIMEX started at around 9:00 in the morning of December 15, 2020 when an “explosion” occurred in a food park inside the Araneta Complex wherein an unidentified male person posing as customer is carrying a paper bag containing an improvised explosive device and placed it in a garbage bin.
At about 10:00 in the morning, a loud explosion was heard in the area. Meanwhile, the Security Guards on duty immediately called the assistance of PS 7 Tactical Motorized Rider Unit (TMRU) who was at the area for motorcycle patrol.
Later, it was reported to QCPD whose Command Center alerted other disaster response units such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Quezon City Red Cross prompting them to react accordingly, as K-9 units and personnel of the QCPD District Mobile Force Battalion (DMFB) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit were quickly dispatched.
After confirming the presence of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), bomb experts conducted Render Safe Procedures (RSP) which included the successful on-site detonation of the IED using the EOD ROBOT called RMI-9XD a medium-sized robot designed for remote handling and Render Safe Procedures of IEDs and other explosive ordnance, reconnaissance missions, two-way communication and deliver/retrieval tasks. The RMI-9XD is uniquely equipped with two robotic arms (a heavy-duty robotic claw and twin-disruptor turret), as well as eight color cameras which help facilitate all kinds of surveillance missions. PBGEN Macerin said “Just as we have been conducting simulation exercises for earthquakes and other calamities, we are also doing anti-terrorism and crisis management drills not only to determine how well we are prepared to respond but also to help condition our minds in what to do when confronted with such situations. Mahalaga po ang papel na gagampanan ng bawat isa sa pagsugpo ng terorismo. At kung palagi tayong alerto at kung alam natin kung ano ang gagawin kung sakaling mangyari ang isang terror attack, maraming buhay ang ating maisasalba. Ang pagiging alerto natin tulad lamang ng pagreport ng mga naiwang bag o mga kahina-hinalang gamit na maaring paglagyan ng bomba ay malaking tulong sa pagsugpo ng terorismo. Hinihikayat namin ang publiko na i-report agad ito sa mga kinauukulan upang agad na marespondehan”.
He also reiterated that the safety of the public should be the main concern of every establishment’s security force.
“It is therefore important that they should know what to do when confronted with situations just like what happened in a bombing at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu last year who killed twenty (20) people and left hundreds injured including AFP and PNP personnel. This is the importance of giving them regular trainings to keep them aware and alert by holding drills and simulation exercises. Security personnel should get utmost training and they should be capable of responding and reacting to any eventuality when the need arises,” PBGEN Macerin added.
