‘Charles robocop’ to check bombs in Central Mindanao

COTABATO CITY—The Sultan Kudarat police provincial office based in Isulan town is now equipped with modern explosive ordnance disposal device.

Chief Superintendent Charles Calima, police chief for Central Mindanao, handed over the equipment, an Explosive Ordnance Device Mobile and Robotic device, to Sultan Kudarat Police provincial director Senior Supt. Rex dela Rosa and Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu on Friday.

“We have a lot of good and efficient police officers, but due to lack of facilities, they couldn’t perfect their duties. Hence, we will not stop from upgrading and accepting changes to make every operation easy and exact,” Calima said.

The Central Mindanao police’s team were trained by United States Explosive and Ordnance Device (EOD) experts.

Gov. Mangudadatu named the EOD equipment as “Charles robocop,” referring to the police regional director’s first name.

“The robot will be a helpful device to secure the safety of the people of Sultan Kudarat province and the region as a whole,” Calima said.

“Due to the bombings in different places in this region, the device will help the police force in identifying threats quickly and accurately,” he added.

Mangudadatu said his office would provide P30,000 monthly assistance to the Sultan Kudarat PNP bomb disposal unit for the maintenance of the robot equipment.

The provincial government will also provide P600,000 annually as peace and order fund.

There are only three EOD robots in the country. The two others are in the National Capital Region and in Zamboanga City.

“Such amenity is very timely especially that our alertness is being tested by lawless elements,” Calima said.

Isulan, Tacurong City and nearby Koronadal City had been subjected to bomb attacks by lawless elements, including extortion gangs which use cell phone-triggered improvised explosive device. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao