By Non Alquitran and Mike Frialde
(The Philippine Star) Updated December 29, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - To prevent the spillover of the Sulu violence in Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Nicanor Bartolome inspected yesterday the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) platforms and stations to ensure the safety of the riding public.
The inspection was conducted two days before the 10th anniversary of the infamous Rizal Day bombing which left 22 people dead and scores of others injured.
Most of the casualties in the bombing blamed on Muslim rebels were commuters inside the LRT coach that stopped at the Blumentritt station. “I’m very satisfied with the security measures that the LRT and MRT authorities are implementing,” Bartolome said.
“Even with the big volume of commuters availing of our railway transit systems, our police patrollers and the security personnel are making sure that a repeat of the Dec. 30, 2000 attack will not happen… Never again,” Bartolome assured the commuters.
LRTA officials led by operations managers Ma. Teresa Llera and Wilfredo Bungcarol; chief security officer Jimmy Chua; joined Bartolome and his district directors in his security inspection.
In its first stop, the inspecting team meticulously scrutinized the security procedures being implemented by LRT personnel in Gateway, Cubao terminal of LRT Line 2. They then observed the security inspection in Farmers/Cubao MRT station before boarding the MRT coach heading south to Taft/Pasay Rotonda station. Police and LRTA officials assured the riding public of continued police services to endure their security during the holiday season.
Bartolome then inspected the LRT Line 1 stations along Taft Avenue, stopping at Central Terminal (Arroceros) and visited the exact location of the infamous Rizal Day bombing of 2000 in the LRT 1 Blumentritt station before proceeding to Grand Central station in Monumento, Caloocan City.
The last leg of the inspection was the new MRT line from Caloocan to Muñoz station in Quezon City.
