• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
The Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOCPPO) has launched an extensive campaign against bomb threats following three recent incidents reported in different schools across the province.
NOCPPO Spokesperson Judesses Catalogo stated during a press conference that should the origin of such threats be identified, they will be subject to legal action.
On November 19, two state universities—Western Visayas State University, Himamaylan Campus, and the Philippine State University in Kabankalan City—received bomb threats. Both messages cited “unfair treatment of faculty and staff toward students” as the reason for the threats.
Additionally, a bomb threat was reported at Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School in Silay City on December 9. The school administration received an anonymous call warning that bombs had been planted within the school premises, prompting the immediate cancellation of classes for the day.
Catalogo assured the public that all incidents were swiftly addressed by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams and local authorities, with thorough investigations resulting in negative findings.
“Most of these cases appear to be hacked accounts used to send the threats,” he explained.
Under Presidential Decree 1727, which declares the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of threats concerning bombs, explosives, or similar devices as unlawful, offenders face a minimum of five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to P40,000, or both.*
