CEBU, Philippines — Cebu’s security capability has been beefed up with the graduation of 36 new Explosive Ordnance Recognizance Agents (EORA) yesterday.
The new agents came from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Cebu Port Authority and Civilian Security Force.
The five-day training taught them the procedures in responding bomb threats, security breach, and terrorist attacks. They were specifically trained to identify Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Aside from basic identification of different kinds of explosives, they were also trained on counter terrorism, command system, security survey, site analysis, first aid and casualty care.
“We are very fortunate that this is seldom held in Cebu City. It’s the first time it was participated from different branches of the authorities,” said Mark Anthony Yap, information officer of the EORA training.
Rommel K. Manwong, CEO of Special Operations Training Institute, who facilitated the 5-day training, said the course was meant for a new level of investigation and awareness.
“This is explosive ordnance training, we teach them how to search, how to identify and how to investigate,” Manwong said,
He said that an agent must follow the order of procedure in responding to any particular threat.
In a message read by Police Lt. Col. Milbert Esguerra, Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, said that the training was to ensure Cebu is protected from any forms of threat.
One of the 36 graduates, Police Staff Sargent Albert Comajeros, emphasized the vitality of the training considering that Cebu is a big place to secure and could be a target for bomb threats and terrorism.
“Kay para sa ako gud specially sa police, nowadays makita man gyud nato sa mga news nga daghan na kaayog mga nahitabo sa ato nga about sa bombing like katong sa Davao, mga NPA daghan napud kaayog gipanghimo nga gipanggamit nga IED, with this training, dako kaayo ni’g natabang sa amoa, daghan kaayo mi’g nakat-unan sa pag-handle sa mga bomb threats,” Comajeros said. — FPL (FREEMAN)