Police authorities have intensified their intelligence monitoring in coordination with other security forces outside Davao City following the recent incident in the US embassy in Manila where authorities found an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) similar to the Davao blast.
Police Regional Office 11 Deputy Regional Director for Operation and Commander of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Night Market Sr. Supt. Valeriano De Leon said that they intensified their efforts on intelligence gathering to secure the city.
“Other than we are still on high guard, there is intensified effort on intelligence gathering in collaboration of our neighboring regions (after an IED was found in US embassy),” he said.
He said that they are also working hand-in-hand with other security agencies to confirm if the perpetrators of the Davao blast were the same group that left the IED in front of the US embassy.
An 81 mm mortar was found near the US embassy on Monday dawn. The explosive has a blasting cap, detonator, cellphone and 9 volts battery as power source.
Task Force Davao commander Col Erwin Bernard Neri said that the city remains to be in heightened alert status and they have intensified their security measures.
“We have intensified our fixed and mobile checkpoint operations and other security measures such as foot, mobile, shoreline and maritime patrols,” he said.
Several members of the Philippine Navy were also seen patrolling the city and conducting checkpoint operations in the downtown areas inspecting the bags of the civilians.
Neri said that they have also coordinated with other law enforcement agencies and units within and outside the city.
