By Dominic I. Sanchez
ZAMBOANGA CITY –
In light of the recent bombing of a bus in Tomas Claudio Extension that killed
a girl and wounded 33 others including an infant, local officials here are
calling on public transportation operators to enforce strict inspection and
security measures, especially in terminals.
Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar aired her call through
Zamboanga Today, that operators of public transportation should enforce “strict
inspection procedures, safety and security measures.”
After the blast on Friday, Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy regional
director for operations PSSupt. Randolf Delfin said that it is also “the
responsibility of the bus liner to provide security to their passengers.”
“Please coordinate with us when you are receiving
extortion letters,” Delfin said, adding that had they been informed,
appropriate security measures would have been done pro-actively, which could
have prevented the explosion.
The D’Biel transport, which operated said bus took flak
from angry residents after authorities pointed out that the management had
already received an extortion letter, which D’Biel allegedly did not disclose
to police prior to the incident.
Local broadcast journalist and Talon-Talon barangay
captain Teodyver Arquiza strongly criticized D’Biel’s management for their
non-coordination with authorities. “The victims have suffered terribly as a
result,” he said on-air in Chavacano.
In CCTV footages secured by GBPI TV-11 on Friday, a
man wearing a black hoodie and green jogging pants can be seen carrying a
package and walking towards the off-cam bus. A few minutes after, he was again
seen, now hurriedly running away, this time without the package. There was an
explosion barely two minutes afterwards.
Last Sunday, the police released a cartographic sketch of the
suspect. City Police Director Sr. Supt. Angelito Casimiro said that based on
eyewitness account, the suspect is 5’4 in height, about 25 years old, medium
built, brown complexion and a slightly drooping shoulder.
Authorities have already set a P200 thousand bounty for
the suspect.
According to Mayor Climaco-Salazar, based on reports that
she had received, there may be a link between the D’Biel blast and the Lamitan
blast on September 16. Police are eyeing the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) for the
atrocities, which has been engaging in extortions, bombings and
kidnap-for-ransom within the Zamboanga Peninsula area.
Meanwhile, the cartographic sketch of the suspect, which
has gone viral over social media was heavily criticized for being
culturally-insensitive. The sketch, which provided physical information about
the suspect carried the words “Muslim type.” Netizens cried foul over the
unwarranted labeling. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clarified that
the description was the eyewitness’ own words, and was “purely personal to the
witness.”