Bomb scare triggers suspension of classes in Cebu City

CEBU CITY – At least eight public schools and the office of the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Division received bomb threats yesterday morning, prompting authorities to suspend all classes in elementary and high school.

The bomb threats all turned out to be a hoax.

Dr. Bianito Dagatan, Division Superintendent, recommended the immediate suspension of classes in Cebu City because, while students in affected schools were calm during the evacuation, parents were seen running towards the different schools, causing panic and heavy traffic.

Dagatan said his office received the bomb threat at past 8:39 a.m. yesterday through his secretary Rhea Sarmiento. He said the caller, who sounded like someone from Mindanao, told Sarmiento a bomb was planted within the building.

Dagatan immediately called up authorities and ordered the evacuation of the building. Minutes later, he said he started receiving messages from school administrators about the bomb threats they received.

Among the public schools that received the bomb threats were Zapatera Elementary School, Mabolo Elementary School, Lahug Elementary School, Labangon Elementary School, Gothong Elementary School, and City Central School.

“Even if the bomb threats were not confirmed, I immediately called the City Hall to recommend the immediate suspension of classes. We cannot sacrifice the safety of the students,” Dagatan said.

Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young, deputy mayor for education matters, suspended the classes as he also received reports of parents panicking and rushing towards the school to fetch their children.

Initial reports showed fences in some of the affected schools were trampled upon by panicking parents. No student was hurt during the incident.

“The children were told that it was a drill so they did not panic. The problem came when parents received the report and then rushed to schools to get their children,” Dagatan said.

One parent said she was happy to see her two children safe inside the City Central School. She said she had to rush to the said school when she learned from a neighbor about the bomb threat.

“I was very scared because we all know about terror attacks. Thank God my kids are safe,” the 35-year-old mother said.