Coast Guard takes precautions vs K9 'attacks'

Following an attack by a K-9 unit on a shopper inside a mall in Makati City last weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard is taking measures to prevent a similar incident involving its own K-9 units. Coast Guard K-9 unit head Cmdr. Allen Dalangin issued the directive even as the Coast Guard prepares to deploy more K-9s to ports for the coming holidays. "All Coast Guard K9 handlers have been directed to exercise extra-precautionary measures and to be responsible enough to avoid similar incidents. Likewise, the K9 handlers were reminded that K9s are supposed to be highly-trained to protect or secure the public and not to harm or intimidate those they are bound or tasked to protect," the Coast Guard said in an article on its website Wednesday.

Last weekend, a woman suffered deep wounds in the face after being attacked by a bomb-sniffing K-9 unit at a Makati City mall. The security agency and K-9's handler face charges for the attack. Dalangin said his unit’s ASPIN (Asong Pinoy) Program progressing "very well" and aims to deploy K-9s to the country’s busy ports soon to join their counterpart high-breed K-9s. K-9 teams essentially add up to the layers of security duly established in the ports and on passenger ships prior to their departure or upon arrival in ports, the Coast Guard said. — RSJ, GMANews.TV