Cebu City Cops Hold ‘Bombing Simulation Exercise’ to Prepare for Sinulog Festival

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on Wednesday afternoon held a bombing simulation exercise as part of the security preparations for the Sinulog Festival on Jan. 15 in the city.

In the simulated scenario, the police received a report that an explosive device was detonated at the crowded Fuente Osmena rotunda in the heart of uptown Cebu City.

Police on board patrol cars with wailing sirens immediately responded, followed by ambulances, ordnance and explosives experts, K9 units, Armed Forces of the Philippines troops, firefighters and a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

The wounded were immediately evacuated, while the K9 unit searched the area for a secondary bomb, which was later confirmed by bomb-sniffing dogs.

Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, CCPO director, said the exercise was necessary especially with the recent bombing in Hilongos, Leyte which left 34 persons injured.

”Everything went on smoothly, but we don’t have bomb suits to protect our explosives team,” Doria said.

But Doria said other first responders were not able to reach the scene of the simulated bombing because of the heavy traffic in the area.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, Police Regional Office (PRO) deputy director for operations, said they were not satisfied with the results of the simulation exercise.

”I will recommend to the PRO 7 that the drill will be repeated until the CCPO will perfect it,” Lawas said.

Sinulog organizers said they will deploy at least 5,000 security personnel during the Sinulog Grand Parade on Jan. 15.

Among them are police personnel and soldiers from the Armed Forces Central Command based in Cebu City who will secure participants in the Sinulog and Fiesta Señor activities.

Chief Supt. Noli Talino, PRO 7 director, said they have not received any threat to the Sinulog festivities in Cebu City capped with the grand parade on Jan. 15.

But Talino said they are not taking any chances, and he may get more than 1,000 military reservists and additional police personnel from neighboring provinces if needed.

This will be on top of the 5,000 police personnel and troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command that will be deployed during the Sinulog Grand Parade.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will also impose a gun and liquor ban starting on Friday until the closing of the Sinulog celebrations on Jan. 20 as additional security measures.

Superintendent Artemio Ricabo, CCPO deputy city director for administration, also advised the public to avoid using backpacks, especially during the grand parade on Jan. 15.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he considers the bombing in Hilongos, Leyte last week as a “very big threat.”

Osmena also said he cannot give Cebuanos any assurance of security because his request for jamming devices, which he made last year to Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, has not been answered.

He said he would have wanted these placed in the Cebu City Sports Center grandstand, which can accommodate some 10,000 persons and which is where the Sinulog contingents put on a show for the judges.

“I wanted to make the grandstand a dead spot because improvised explosive devices can’t detonate without a signal. But I didn’t get any response to my request,” Osmeña said.

He also said he has not invited any VIPs because he’s “focused on peace and order.”

“I don’t need to invite anyone. They’ll come on their own as Sinulog is known worldwide,” he said. (PNA)LAP/EB/SSC