Police identify suspect behind socmed bomb scare in Taguig

TAGUIG City Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano on Monday reported that the suspect allegedly behind a hoax bomb scare that swept at least two city schools last week has been identified by the authorities.

Cayetano revealed the identity of the suspect in a video report through Facebook live. She was joined by the Chief of Police Colonel Robert Baesa, and Colonel Jay Guillermo of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-cybercrime Group.

Baesa said that the suspect who posted threats on social media using the name “Sofia Smith” was a 16-year-old Grade 9 student. Authorities were able to determine suspect’s IP address, location, and mobile number.

“Dumulog kami sa Regional Trial Court up ang ku mu hang cy ber crime warrantup ang mag karo onka ming kara pat an na makapasok sa bahay at makumpiska ang cell phone ni ‘Sofia Smith’ at ng mga kasama niya sa bahay [We went to the Regional Trial Court to be able to secure a cybercrime warrant so that we can enter the house and confiscate the cell phone of Sofia and those who live with her], ” Guillermo said.

Based on the police investigation, the suspect has accomplices that may be harboring a grudge against the school, while one of them was a city street sweeper who was removed from her job.

Meanwhile, Cayetano said that the city government has deployed additional security in the different schools in the city and that proper coordination with Department of Education was also done to ensure the safety of students.

On November 7, alarming threats of violence in a public school circulated on social media, prompting EM’S Signal Village Elementary School and Signal Village National High School to suspend classes.

“Papatayin ko lahat ng estudyante sa Signal humanda kayong lahat,” one of Smith’s threats read.

“Kagaya ng nangyari sa Thailand humanda kayo magpapasabog ako diyan sa Signal papatayin ko kayong lahat,” Smith commented.

The local government said that upon receiving the reports and they immediately coordinated with the PNP.

The PNP, Special Weapons and Tactics team, and bomb squad deployed units to the school. They secured the premises and checked the buildings and their vicinity for any explosive device.

No bomb or explosive was found during the sweeping operation, contraryto information spreading online.

Cayetano has called on everyone to remain calm, assuring that together with the PNP, the city government will continue to ensure the safety of everyone.

The city government has encouraged everyone to refrain from sharing false information, which tends to cause panic and alarm in the community.