Sultan Kudarat blast: LGU impressed at security measures despite casualties

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JAM STA. ROSA

Despite the bombing incident that killed three people in Sultan Kudarat, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said local authorities were “impressed” with the security measures from law enforcers prior to the explosion.

“Doon sa nakita natin, doon sa preparations, even the mayor and the governor were impressed doon sa security measures and security protocols na ginawa ng ating security forces including the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines],” he told reporters in an interview Thursday.

(Based on what we saw in the preparations, even the mayor and the governor were impressed in the security measures and security protocols exerted by our security forces including the AFP.)

Albayalde said more than 260 personnel from the AFP deployed in the area have observed “really tight” security during the incident.

“Napakarami na nilang deployment, pero talagang ganyan kung minsan, masisingitan ka [They have deployed a lot, but sometimes it really happens, they can slip through],” he said.

Three have died and 36 others were injured after an improvised explosive device went off in front of the “J and H Marketing” in Isulan on Tuesday night.

Isulan, the capital of Sultan Kudarat, was celebrating its 61st Founding Anniversary and 7th Hamungaya Festival when the blast happened.

READ: Sultan Kudarat bombing death toll rises to 3

According to Albayalde, authorities have been receiving reports about bomb threats before the incident, but stressed these intelligence information are “very general.”

“The problem is ‘yung mga intel reports na ‘yun are raw. Those information really need to be confirmed at hindi kasi specific ‘yun,” he said.

(The problem is that those intel reports are raw. Those informations really need to be confirmed and they are not specific.) /jpv

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