SLPPO Has Own Bomb Disposal Unit

To quell disruptions in the community that may arise in cases where there is a suspected bomb threat, a new police force at the Southern Leyte Provincial Office (SLPPO) was formed to take action on suspicious belongings left behind in a public places.

On May 7, Senior Supt. Warren De Leon, Southern police provincial director, led the  five-member explosives and ordnance disposal (EOD) team in a courtesy call to Vice-Gov. Jessica Escano Pano. Pano is now the Officer-in-Charge of the provincial government due to the leave of absence of Gov. Coco Yap.

“The provincial government provided cash assistance amounting to P260,000 for the four-month training of the EOD team which is an initiative of the regional peace and order council (RPOC),” De Leon said.

He added. “The membes of the team were carefully selected to be native residents of the province and thoroughly underwent a rigorous vetting process to qualify.”

The EOD team is composed of the following: SPO1 Russel Balansag, team leader, PO3 Roderick Lapingcao, PO3 Zandro Llevares, PO3 Raymund Grava, and PO3 Bobby Barola.

They will be stationed in Sogod and will be dispatched anywhere in the province on alert calls of suspected bomb threats.

Last year, a bag was left at the port area in the city and police had to call the regional EOD team which took at least four hours to arrive at the scene.

After a couple of hours, a doctor claimed the pouch and said he forgot to fetch it on the spot where he left it upon alighting from the vessel. Found inside the suspicious bag were surgical equipment and other medical items.

In the interim when there will be no emergency situations, the EOD squad will be going around police stations and other areas to conduct information dissemination and bomb detonation exercises with their fellow cops, barangay tanods, and security guards.  (JNPD/MMP/PIA8-Southern Leyte)