The Iloilo City Government, through the Sangguniang Panlungsod, has requested for assistance from concerned national government agencies in handling the string of bomb threats here.
During its regular session on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, chair of the Committee on Police, Fire, Penology, Public Safety, Order, Security, Dangerous Drugs and Rehabilitation, authored a resolution, specifically requesting the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), as well as Meta, to render “immediate technical assistance” in the conduct of an investigation in the bomb threats made against various schools in the city.
“City of Iloilo has been plagued by a series of bomb threats targeting schools and other institutions, causing widespread fear, disruption of classes, and inconvenience to students, parents, and school personnel,” he said in his resolution.
Since Nov. 12 until 12 noon on Wednesday, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has recorded 31 bomb threats, affecting 15 schools/universities and one commercial establishment.
The threats led to the suspension of classes, evacuation of students, and significant disruption to the academic calendar, particularly during critical periods such as finals week.
“Investigations conducted by the ICPO, the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU), and the NBI have revealed the use of online platforms and dummy accounts to disseminate these threats, posing significant challenges in identifying the perpetrators,” the resolution added.
Cabaluna said the DICT, NTC, NBI and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, possess the technical expertise and resources necessary to assist in tracing the origin of threats, analyzing digital evidence, and identifying the individuals or groups responsible.
“The safety and security of students, educators, and the general public are of paramount importance, and there is an urgent need for a coordinated and comprehensive response to address this issue and prevent further incidents,” he said.
In a press briefing, ICPO Director Col. Kim Legada advised receivers to engage the sender of the text message or information on bomb threats.
“Report to the PNP (Philippine National Police), we have to verify if the threat is legitimate. We will coordinate with the concerned establishment to verify, especially if the threat is specific or has mentioned the areas where the supposed explosive was placed,” Legada said.PNA
