Stop spreading rumors on bomb threats, public urged
The Department of Education (DepEd) and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo on Wednesday appealed to the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, particularly about bomb threats in schools.
In an official statement, DepEd renewed the call for stronger visibility of local authorities such as the police and barangay watchmen in schools after bomb threats were reported in schools around the country.
“We urge the public to report information on terror threats to the police and to avoid spreading unverified information especially through social media,” said DepEd.
In the aftermath of the recent bombing incident in Davao City, DepEd said that the public should be more careful in spreading information that are not verified by authorities especially when it comes to bomb threats in schools because this will only cause “disruption of classes, panic and unnecessary stress.”
“While the said bomb threats turned out to be a hoax, we reiterate our call for police visibility near the schools,” DepEd said.
“We also remind our school officials to intensify security and be extra vigilant to ensure the safety of our teachers, students, and personnel,” the Department added.
On Monday, classes in four schools near Malacañang Palace in Manila, College of the Holy Spirit, San Beda College, Centro Escolar University and Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology suspended classes after receiving bomb threats.
Meanwhile, at least three schools in Davao City also received bomb threats on Tuesday.
Verify “Don’t spread such messages. Be responsible (text users),” Pabillo said in an interview.
The prelate advised those who received such messages to immediately report them to authorities.
“If you receive such a text message and it is not verified, immediately inform the authorities so they can check it,” Pabillo, who is also the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on the Laity, said.
Precautionary measures Meantime, police officials yesterday met with security managers of malls, schools and hotels to come up with security plans in the wake of bomb threats in Metro Manila.
Senior Supt. Jose Mario Espino, acting head of the Philippine National Police- Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, said the meeting is aimed at ensuring the cooperation of the security managers in ensuring the safety of the people who go to their establishments amid the spate of bomb threat pranks and even threats of bomb attack on places of convergences.
One of the measures discussed, according to Espino, is carrying out proper frisking and checking of bags and other things that are being brought inside malls and other establishments where people usually converge. (with a report from Aaron B. Recuenco)