Bomb scare hits campuses, villages in Visayas, Mindanao

EVACUATED Students of Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) La Paz Campus gather in the surrounding streets on Monday morning after the school received a bomb threat, prompting an immediate evacuation. Hundreds of students, many still in uniform and carrying their bags, crowded the sidewalks and nearby areas as authorities secured the campus. The sudden disruption caused heavy foot and vehicle traffic along Burgos Street, while police conducted clearing operations inside the university. --PHOTO FROM THE TECHNOVATOR/ISAT-U FACEBOOK PAGE

ILOILO CITY—A wave of bomb threats hit schools and communities across the country, forcing evacuations, class suspensions and large-scale security operations as authorities investigate what appeared to be an escalating and possibly coordinated pattern of hoax warnings nationwide.

On Monday, eight schools in Iloilo and another school in Digos City in Davao Del Sur, were targeted, while a village in Ormoc City in Leyte, received a similar threat on Sunday.

These new incidents of bomb threats were reminiscent of the nearly simultaneous bomb threats reported in five schools in Pampanga on Oct. 6.

In Iloilo City, the threats involving bombs supposedly planted inside school buildings and sent through social media platforms early on Monday, prompted suspension of classes at the Iloilo National High School, the West Visayas State University (WVSU) Main Campus, WVSU Calinog Campus, the Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) La Paz Campus and Hua Siong College of Iloilo.

The threats against schools in Iloilo continue on Monday afternoon, targeting the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City; and the Guimbal National High School in Guimbal town and the Iloilo Merchant Marine School in Pavia town, both municipalities just outside of the city. These schools also suspended classes as a precaution.

The police’s explosive ordnance disposal teams found that the threats were all a hoax.

Police Capt. Melvin Mercado, chief of the Guimbal police, asked the public to coordinate with them if there is any information regarding whoever sent the threat.

Reward

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu on Monday announced on Facebook a P100,000 reward to whoever could identify those responsible for the bomb threats so they could be held liable: “We are serious about this. This is not just an issue of children’s education, but also an issue of the whole city’s security.”

Treñas-Chu also convened the Iloilo City Police Office, the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit and the National Bureau of Investigation—including its Cybercrime Division—for a detailed security briefing on Monday.

Monday’s incidents followed multiple warnings earlier in the month. On Nov. 12, the University of San Agustin Basic Education Department in Iloilo City’s Jaro District received a message claiming that bombs had been planted on campus. A day later, similar threats were received by the WVSU Janiuay Campus and the ISAT-U La Paz.

The earliest recorded incident in the ongoing series occurred on Oct. 2, when the University of the Philippines High School in Iloilo reported receiving a similar threat.

Authorities have observed that many of the threats shared similarities in wording, timing and the use of anonymous or newly created social media accounts, raising the possibility that the incidents may be connected.

Negative

In Digos City, the management of Cor Jesu College (CJC) suspended Monday’s classes after receiving a bomb threat early in the morning.

Police Lt. Col. Peter Glenn Ipong, acting chief of the Digos police, immediately dispatched police investigators to the school.

Kirt Diaz, CJC’s vice president for academic studies, said responding policemen failed to find anything hidden that could resemble a bomb within the school premises.

“It turned out to be negative. However, the school will strengthen its security protocols to ensure that everybody will be safe when the face-to-face classes resume on Tuesday,” Diaz said.

In Ormoc City, police conducted a bomb sweep in Villa Socorro Subdivision in Barangay San Isidro on Sunday, after a resident received a message from an unidentified number warning of a bomb allegedly planted in the enclave, supposedly targeting “corrupt” residents.

Earlier hoaxes

In Pampanga, the bomb threats on Oct. 6 affected the Pampanga State University campuses in Bacolor and Mexico towns, Pampanga Colleges in Macabebe, Holy Cross College in Sta. Ana and Our Lady of Fatima University in the City of San Fernando.

The threats sent through social media accounts not associated with the institutions prompted the evacuation of students.

On Oct. 7, the National University in SM Clark and the University of the Assumption in San Fernando also received bomb threats, which were later declared hoaxes.

Nationwide concern

Police officials across affected regions condemned the threats as deliberate attempts to sow fear and disrupt education. Under Presidential Decree No. 1727, the malicious issuance of bomb threats—even as jokes—is punishable by fines and imprisonment.

As investigations continue, schools have tightened security measures, strengthened gate protocols, increased campus monitoring and temporarily shifted to online instruction whenever threats arise.

Authorities urged the public to remain calm, vigilant and responsible in sharing information as security forces work to determine whether the threats are coordinated and trace their origins. —WITH REPORTS FROM HAZEL P. VILLA, JOEY A. GABIETA, JOEY MARZAN, TONETTE OREJAS AND ELDIE S. AGUIRRE