MANILA - The Philippine National Police Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (PNP-SOSIA) on Monday said it would soon instruct security agencies to keep a tighter watch over transport terminals following a shooting incident inside a bus in Nueva Ecija last week
“We will be issuing an advisory to all security agencies, especially those manning the different terminals, to intensify their deployment visual inspection kasi kailangan pong higpitan ng ating mga gwardya ang mga pumapasok na bagahe sa mga sasakyan,” PNP-SOSIA chief Police BGen. Gregory Bogñalbal said.
“Ipag-uutos natin ‘yan sa kanila,” he told reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday.
Bogñalbal underscored the importance of subjecting passengers and their belongings to stricter inspection.
“Iba ginagamitan nila ng detector ‘yan. Meron silang mga detector na ginagamit bago i-load sa sasakyan. Iikutan ng aso, at the same time, may metal detector sila bago ikarga sa sasakyan,” he noted.
Bogñalbal said they recently assessed the capabilities of K9 units deployed in terminals.
“Aside from that, nag-initiate na rin kami ng mga inspection sa K9 na nakadeploy sa bawat terminal at tinitignan namin ‘yung kakayahan ng aso kung updated ba sila sa training at kung capable pa ba silang mag-detect ng dapat i-detect diyan,” he said.
He then continued, “Nag-conduct kami ng samples at lahat ng aso na chineck namin are still capable of identifying specially the explosives.”
The PNP-SOSIA said security guards and their agencies could face charges and penalties if proven negligent.
“They may be liable for less grave offense or neglect of duty. We will conduct an investigation if may formal complaint. Or even without the formal complaint, may power naman kami to conduct investigation,” PNP-SOSIA legal officer Police Capt. Geronimo de Guzman Jr. said.
The November 15 shooting incident led to the death of two business owners while on board a bus in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.
Footage of the incident showed that the two assailants from the rear part of the bus stood up, approached the victims, and shot them pointblank. The gunmen then stopped the bus and disembarked.
The victims reportedly boarded the bus in Cauayan City, Isabela, while the two gunmen boarded in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
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