Suicide bombing alarming, but wait

Authorities should really be alarmed at the suicide bombing in Basilan City that claimed 11 lives, including the person who lugged the high explosive.

They should heed the words of Sen. Ping Lacson who said the suicide bombing represented a new threat to the citizenry that “might spread to urban centers if left unchecked.”

Lacson, former chief of the Philippine National Police and a very efficient intelligence agent when he was a young military officer, knew whereof he spoke.

The incident in Basilan could precede the suicide bombings in highly populated areas in the country, if indeed it was the first case of suicide bombing.

If it was, then this country could turn into another Iraq and Afghanistan, where Muslim fanatics blow themselves up in crowded places.

Military and police intelligence should work overtime in preventing such a nightmare from happening in urban centers.

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However, if it’s any cold comfort, Muslims in the country are not as fanatical as those in the Middle East.

The isolated bombings in crowded areas in the country were detonated by remote control and not by a suicide bomber.

The explosion in Basilan could have been set off accidentally, and not intentionally, by the person carrying the improvised explosive device or by cellphones of soldiers manning the nearby checkpoint.

A Muslim friend, whom I will not name, once told me the possibility of a suicide bombing taking place here was very remote.

“The Muslims here are much more intelligent than those in the Middle East,” he said.

“Hindi naman kami bobo, ’no (We’re not stupid, right),” he said.

So, there you go.

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One of four Taguig City policemen, suspected of being involved in kidnapping, was killed by fellow cops in a shootout on Tuesday.

Those rookies or fresh cops were already involved in a heinous crime.

I’m sure my editors would find my opinion outrageous on how to deal with rogue cops, so I invite you to read my twitter account @RamonTulfoII.

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Netizens have been heaping praises on Chief Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo “Guilor” Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, for his quick action on abuses committed by his men.

The cop who slapped a bus driver, the Taguig policemen involved in kidnap extortion and the drunken police officer who poked his gun at two teenagers were all arrested and detained and are now awaiting summarily dismissal proceedings and court trial.

My post in my Facebook page @RamonTulfoII about Eleazar earned many readers, comments and shares.

I’m now on social media.