By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA
MANILA — Police officers in the cities of Pasig, Marikina, Mandaluyong, and San Juan have participated in a bomb attack response exercise.
Eastern Police District (EPD) Director, Chief Supt. Bernabe Balba, said the activity, which was held Thursday, aims to assess the alertness and operational readiness of PNP personnel, particularly explosive ordnance disposal units of each police station, including members of the District Mobile Force Battalion, concerned government agencies, and volunteer groups in dealing with crisis situations.
“We want to be sure that our men are all capable and doing the right thing on the ground and adhering to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in responding to bombing incidents. We also want to see the possible lapses and areas that need improvement, including the functionality of all the equipment and vehicles needed, in order for us to gauge the success of what we intend to do during the crisis situation,” Balba said in a message sent to reporters.
The EPD chief said the value of time in responding to an incident is precious, noting that responders must always remember the proper procedure and protocols set, to prevent more casualties.
The simulation exercises were carefully managed and assessed by the EPD Command Group and District Operations and Plans Unit led by Senior Supt. Florendo Quibuyen.
The activity concluded in an orderly manner with critiques and inputs given by the EPD Command Group to be taken into consideration, for them to effectively respond to emergency situations.
