Make them pay

Following the bomb threats received by members of the House recently, there has been another spate of bomb threats against seven government offices and two schools in Metro Manila, Bataan, and Zambales.

In Quezon City, the threats were made against the offices of the National Housing Authority, the Commission on Audit, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Competition Commission, and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management.

In Manila the threat was made against the Insurance Commission and in Taguig against the Department of Science and Technology.

Two schools were also targeted; the Panghulo Elementary School in Malabon City and the Pasig Elementary School in Barangay San Nicolas, Pasig City.

Police said the one who made the threats claimed he was a Japanese lawyer by the name of Takahiro Karasawa.

As we keep saying, a bomb threat that is called in usually means there is no danger at all. No one is his right --make that twisted-mind would go through all the trouble of making or acquiring a bomb, go through the trouble of planting it somewhere, then warn people to stay away.

The objective of someone who wants to successfully detonate a bomb is to cause damage or even injury and death; it makes no sense for him to warn people so they can escape injury, minimize damage, or call for explosives experts to defuse the bomb.

But with that said, any bomb threat should be taken seriously, whether it is made against high government officials, ordinary employees, or teachers and students. Needless to say, looking for a bomb that doesn’t exist will cost time and money.

Now what can authorities do to make sure no one calls in bomb threats? Threats that not only disrupt government or school operations but also cause panic among people? Absolutely nothing, unfortunately. There is no way we can stop people from calling in bomb scares whether they legit terrorists who had a sudden change of heart, people who want to disrupt operations for one reason or another, or nutcases who just want to watch the resulting chaos.

However, what they can do is find and go after those who make such threats, then make them pay. Turn them into examples of what should happen to people who cry wolf.