Military to help secure transmission towers

THE MILITARY is ready to help secure the transmission towers of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) following several bombings that toppled the towers in Mindanao.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it was coordinating with the NGCP in providing as much government troops to secure towers especially those located in secluded, isolated areas.

AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said the bombing of the NGCP’s transmission towers in Mindanao by armed groups was a “serious security concern of the military, the police and the entire security sector.

“We need to be very selective, we need to guard against specific critical areas where transmission of power will be critical,” Padilla told a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.

He added that extortionists are possibly behind the destruction of the transmission towers, which has severely affected the power supply in Mindanao, causing massive blackouts.

Criminal groups and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters have been linked to the bombings.

On Monday, the NGCP published a full-page advertisement which claimed that 16 transmission towers have been bombed as of November.

The advertisement noted that the bombing of transmission towers was against Republic Act No. 9372 or the Human Security Act, as it urged the public is advised to report suspicious individuals and activities to 0917-8791077.

Padilla said the advertisement showed that the NGCP was serious in its appeal to the public to help identify the perpetrators of the bombings.

Asked if the military failed in preempting the attacks, the AFP spokesperson pointed out that the AFP could not guard each and every tower since it must also protect the people and the community.

Padilla noted that the manpower of the AFP and the Philippine National Police was limited, thus the security sector must be selective in where its resources are used.