By Priam Nepomuceno/PNA
MANILA — Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units of the Philippine Army (PA) are constantly upgrading their equipment to improve their capability, an official said Tuesday.
“Currently (the EOD units are) a fresh setup. Though the effort continues on aspect of upgrading its equipment,” said Lt. Col. Louie Villanueva, Army spokesperson, in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) when asked if there are plans to beef up its EOD units.
Each EOD company is composed of 50 personnel and are equipped with bomb suits, hooks, and lines, among others.
These units were formed to counter and neutralize threats posed by the continued usage of landmines and similar weapons by the New People’s Army (NPA), the PA spokesperson earlier said.
Villanueva said these EOD units are usually deployed via detachments to each infantry divisions to defuse landmines.
The PA is composed of 11 infantry divisions, one mechanized infantry division and one artillery regiment.
A division is composed of between 6,000 to 10,000 officers and enlisted personnel.
“Currently, we have three EOD companies deployed in three main geographical areas (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) supporting Army combat units,” Villanueva said.
