More police visibility urged

Policemen in eastern metropolis were ordered yesterday by Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Rolando Sacramento to make themselves visible in public after a bomb scare gripped bus passengers in Mandaluyong City Friday night. Sacramento said that increased police visibility is one of the best ways to forestall any attempt by anyone who plans to sow terror.

"EPD policemen should make themselves visible in public places to scare off unlawful elements. We could not allow this people to disturb our everyday living," he said.

On Friday night, passengers of a Peñafrancia bus along EDSA went into panic after a black backpack left inside the vehicle was suspected to contain bomb. The bus was then headed for Camarines Sur. According to bus driver Telesforo Bantoy, a passenger noticed the bag unattended when the bus reached the corner of Shaw Boulevard at around 8 p.m. The bus conductor asked the passengers about the ownership of the bag and when no one claimed it, tension began gripping the passengers. The bus pulled over and the panic-stricken passengers immediately got off. They reported the incident to the EPD bomb squad who immediately deployed bomb experts to the scene. – Sheila Crisostomo