To prevent a repeat of the 2010 bar exams bombing that injured 47 people, Mayor Joseph Estrada has ordered the Manila Police District to put up a tight security cordon around the University of Santo Tomas campus where the 2016 examinations will be held this month.
Estrada said the city government will not take any chances in protecting the safety of the general public, particularly the thousands of examinees who will be taking the bar examinations set for Nov. 6, 13, 20, and 27.
“We will utilize all our available law enforcement and protective units to ensure the orderly and peaceful conduct of the [bar] examinations. We can’t let any untoward incidents to happen again,” Estrada said.
Estrada directed MPD director Senior Supt. Joel Coronel to deploy a sufficient number of policemen around the UST campus to maintain peace and order.
He also ordered Manila’s rescue units to place on standby at the school grounds teams of paramedics and ambulances to render emergency medical assistance during the four-Sunday examinations.
“For this year, again, the whole perimeter of UST shall be secured, so meaning España Avenue, Lacson, Dapitan, and P. Noval streets will be closely guarded,” Coronel said.
“We will be deploying round-the-clock patrol and police visibility in the area, especially on the first Sunday where we expect a lot of people will be proceeding to the area,” Coronel added.
A portion of España Avenue (westbound going to Quiapo) will also be closed to vehicular traffic in the morning and in the afternoon during the four Sundays to give way to the thousands of examinees, Coronel said.
In all the four Sundays of November, police will also enforce the city ordinance that bans the sale, use, or distribution of liquors within 100 meters of examination venue, he added.
On Sept. 26, 2010, a grenade thrown by a fraternity member exploded outside the De La Salle University along Taft Avenue in Malate just as thousands of bar examinees were exiting the school grounds.
The explosion injured 47 people, including two law graduates who required amputations.