Ebdane vows to strengthen PNP intelligence vs terrorists

DAVAO CITY — Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. vowed yesterday to push for the strengthening of the police intelligence network to prevent incidents such as last week’s bomb explosion at a bus terminal in Kidapawan City that killed six people and injured at least 30 others.

Ebdane arrived here Sunday after conducting an inspection at the explosion site in Kidapawan City.

"It is important for the police to strengthen our intelligence network so that cases like bomb explosions could be prevented," Ebdane said.

The PNP chief said the country’s various police units have been on heightened alert following the recent reports of bomb explosions in Indonesia, including the one in front of the Philippine consulate in Manado, North Sulawesi.

He sought the cooperation of the community in the intelligence gathering effort. He cited the importance of the support of the community to the intelligence network of both the police and the military.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol earlier said the bombing could have most likely been carried out by extortion groups preying on bus companies that ply the route between Davao City and Cotabato City.

Meanwhile, a member of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday described the latest bombing in Kidapawan City as "purely an evil act."

"Some may call this a terrorist’s work. Whatever the tag is, this is truly and purely an evil act! Pure evil in our midst!," said Kidapawan Bishop Romulo Valles in a pastoral statement.

Bishop Valles also called on the Kidapawan’s cross-section to help authorities in investigating on the exact identities of the people responsible for the carnage.

"If it was done for extortion, the more we should condemn it. There is no moral and spiritual basis for such an attack," an emotional Valles exclaimed.

Lawmen have tagged, the Suicide Bombers Team and the Dragon Group, as possibly responsible for the atrocity. — Edith Regalado, John Unson, Sandy Araneta