Extensive security inspections were conducted at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and Iloilo City Hall after a bomb threat was posted on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, June 14.
The Regional Anti-Cyber Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (RECU-6) declared the premises of the two government buildings in the city “safe and clear” of any explosive device.
The false bomb threat, which was circulated on social media, originated from a cloned account under the name “Djbobzkie Montero,” according to the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
Police Captain Melchor Tolentino, officer-in-charge of Iloilo City Police Station 1, said they were alerted to the threat at around 2:00 p.m. after receiving screenshots of the post.
“Right there and then, we coordinated with the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU-6) to check the Facebook account of the person who posted the threat,” he said.
“At the same time, we immediately coordinated the ‘paneling’ (bomb sweeping) operations at our government buildings,” Tolentino continued.
Authorities are now focusing their efforts on identifying the individual behind the Facebook post.
“We personally checked the account, and while it features photos of minors and an adult, we cannot make any conclusions yet,” Tolentino said.
“The investigation by RACU-6 is ongoing to determine whether this is a legitimate profile or a dummy account,” he added.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Wilbert B. Parilla, ICPO director, reminded the public that publishing bomb threats online is a criminal offense under Philippine law, including Presidential Decree No. 1727 (the Anti-Bomb Joke Law) and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“We urge everyone to use social media responsibly. False threats create fear, disrupt government operations, and waste valuable government resources,” he said.
“The ICPO will pursue appropriate legal action against individuals who endanger public safety through irresponsible online posts, as the evidence warrants,” Parilla added.IMT
