Hunt on vs bomb prank caller

LOCAL security forces are tracing the prank caller behind the bomb scare on Friday, September 29 at Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) Jacinto Campus that triggered panic among the students and employees. Thus, classes were suspended.

Task Force Davao (TFD) commander Colonel Nolasco Mempin told Sun.Star Davao that after receiving the report of a bomb threat, troops immediately went to the university to check the veracity of the report.

At around 3 p.m., he said that they were able to clear the area and concluded that it was just a bomb joke, which is punishable by law under Presidential Decree (PD) 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law of the Philippines. The law prohibits bomb jokes as these can possibly cause panic and spread false information.

Anyone charged violating the law can be imprisoned for a maximum of five years, and can also be fined with at least P40,000.

“Our law enforcement can trace the text or call and can lead to identification or arrest of those people for cybercrime,” he said.

Mempin said that they have coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the case and make the perpetrator accountable for his or her action that sowed fear among the students and employees as they evacuated.

“We have referred it to PNP. We are awaiting results of their technical expert,” he said.

He reminded the public to be vigilant and alert. He added that such calls should be taken seriously and immediately report it to authorities for quick response and action to avoid causing further panic to other people.

“Always be vigilant of our personal identity posed in social media as the prank persons called the numbers of Addu students,” he said.