Security, safety clusters to conduct simulation exercise in public school

Angel Sumagaysay, head of the Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) said that since the simulation will be held in a public school, the Department of Education will be playing an active role.

“It is very important ‘yong participation of the establishment kung asa nato ipahigayon ang simulation exercise. Hindi lang ang school but pati ‘yong mga establishments within that area. Kasi nga, you cannot predict asa mahitabo ang mga insidente,” Sumagaysay said in a report from the City Information Office.

The city’s “Culture of Security” campaign will be tested during the exercise while all units in the security and safety cluster will get to exercise their response protocols in an unprecedented terrorist attack.  

Sumagaysay said unlike the previous simulations, this year’s simex will stage a more complex security scenario which will include grenade-throwing, active shooting and hostage-taking incidents. 

Staging a school shooting, Sumagaysay said, is prudent and timely as this particular security threat had been so rampant, especially in Western countries. 

He said the city’s security cluster already has protocols in place for all possible security threats, however, the simex will provide the means by which all units can test their “operational readiness” and strengthen their “inter-operability response” in complex scenarios. 

The citizens’ response to the simulation will also be taken into account in evaluating its success, he said.

According to him, the people’s compliance to spontaneous advisories and directions from the security and safety cluster in extreme situations will also be tested and taken into account. 

Apart from the Task Force Davao and Davao City Police Office , other security and safety units will also participate including PSSCC, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coastguard, Maritime Police, Tactical Operations Group 11 of the Philippine Air Force, and City Transport and Traffic Management Office.

Other units will also be part in the activity such as Central 911, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency 11, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Highway Patrol, Philippine National Police-Crime Laboratory, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, City Information Office, and other supporting agencies. 

Sumagaysay urges Davaoeños to cooperate and be patient for any discomfort since there will be road and border closures as well as rerouting, which will result in traffic congestion during the exercise.