Bus conductors, drivers now bomb experts

Thanks to police bomb experts, bus operators, drivers, conductors and employees now know how to properly detect bombs.

In a seminar at the Land Transportation Office on East Avenue, Quezon City, elements of the Light Reaction Unit (LRU) of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) gave a crash course on the various types of explosives used by terrorists as well as recognizing possible threats and handling emergency situations.

The LTO also deputized bus employees to act as boarding inspectors of their respective vehicles to prevent a tragedy similar to the bus bombing in Balintawak last week.

Among those who showed up during the seminar were Interior Secretary Joey Lina, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco.

Claire de la Fuente, president of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA) said the briefing on proper detection and handling of explosive devices would be of great help in preventing an attack inside their vehicles.

Metro Manila buses, classified as high-impact targets, ferry hundreds of thousands of commuters daily along EDSA alone, she stressed.

Velasco pointed out it is vital for bus operators to protect their passengers and employees.

"With the alert bus drivers and conductors working in tandem with the police, the commuting public need not worry about threats to their safety on the streets of the metropolis," Velasco said.

He advised the public to remain vigilant, asking commuters to work closely with the police in the battle against terror and criminality. – Non Alquitran