DAVAO CITY—Interprovincial buses are being asked anew to take in passengers only inside the main bus terminal at Ecoland here and to refuse all others embarking at any other points along the national highways.
The practice has been in force since May this year as a precaution against a repeat of the recent bomb explosion inside a bus when an unattended baggage turned out to contain a crude bomb that exploded inside a bus in Koronadal City in South Cotabato on May 26. Another crude bomb explosion followed a few hours later in another bus in Tacurong City.
With another bombing incident on a bus on Sunday in Cotabato City, the Task Force Davao has asked all buses to refuse passengers embarking in “non-designated bus stops in the city.”
“We are asking them and encouraging them not to pick up passengers along the way because based on the investigation of the 6th Infantry Division, the passengers were picked up on the way to Tacurong and alighted shortly before the explosion and they are suspected to have caused the explosion,” Task Force Davao Commander Col. Darren Comia said in Filipino.
Comia said the joint security forces have coordinated with bus companies after Sunday’s bombing incident in Tacurong City and warned them to pick up passengers only in designated bus terminals.
He said they also coordinated with the Yellow Bus Line to immediately report to them threats from terrorists. The company operates the ill-fated buses in the May explosions and on Sunday’s incident.
“We are coordinating with the bus company; in fact, we have talked with the management of Yellow Bus and asked them to report to us if they will receive a demand letter or extortion letter,” he said.
The Task Force Davao noted however, that there was no direct threat to Davao City but security forces were placed on high alert.
“We continue to tighten security check in our border control points, especially the possible areas where the suspected terrorists might enter the city,” Comia said.
Some security personnel have been assigned to board buses for inspection and check them before entering Davao City.
In the downtown area of Davao, checkpoints were being conducted by TF Davao and the Davao City Police Office and patrols have become frequent and highly visible, including motorcycle patrols and foot patrols.
He said security drills would be regularly held to anticipate possible terrorist entry into the city.
“We are looking into the angle of a possible entry in Davao City that is why our security forces, especially in the border, are conducting drills and rehearsals so that the established protocols here will be properly implemented,” he said.