MRT security remains tight

Security at the Metro Rail Transit  (MRT) remains tight as police officials vowed to keep the transport system safe from terror attacks.

Quoting President Arroyo during her visit to an MRT station in Makati City the other night, MRT general manager Roberto Lastimoso said "everything is under control."

"Gusto lang ipakita sa mga mamamayan na the situation is normal, everything is under control," Lastimoso said in a phone interview with The Star.

Mrs. Arroyo, accompanied by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao and Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol, inspected the Ayala station of the MRT the other night, two days after a man attempted to enter an LRT station with bomb components in Santolan, Pasig.

"She (Arroyo) was not exactly inspecting the MRT itself, but the security at the station, as well as those at banks and malls in Makati," Lastimoso said.

Lastimoso said the President went to the Ayala station of the MRT at around 6:30 p.m. and stayed for about 10 minutes.

Last Monday, two security guards at the LRT station nabbed Zaldy Munda, after his bag yielded several bomb materials, including five blasting caps, half a kilo of dynamite powder, a time fuse, a cell phone and 150 pieces of emulsion explosives.

Meanwhile, officials of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said they will be giving commendations to the two security officers who foiled Munda’s attempt to board a coach with bomb materials last Monday.

LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles said they will be giving commendation certificates to security officers Jodel Llanto and Robin de la Roca, both of Alert Security Agency, for a job well done.