Bomb hoaxes hit CA, DOJ

MANILA, Philippines - Successive bomb threats hit the Court of Appeals (CA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday, causing panic among employees and halting hearings and offices for a couple of hours.

The bomb threat first hit the CA compound located along Ma. Orosa Street in Ermita when the security office of the appellate court received a phone call at around 9:30 a.m. from an anonymous woman saying a bomb would explode inside the main building.

Justices and employees were evacuated from all six buildings of the CA to areas outside the compound.

Operatives of the Manila Police District Explosives and Ordinance Division led by Chief Inspector Arnold Santos cordoned off the compound and searched for the bomb.

After an hour, police cleared the compound of any bomb. The threat turned out to be a hoax.

CA Associate Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando admitted they were surprised by the incident.

“We don’t have any hearing set today so we’re wondering what’s the reason behind the threat,” she said.

She said that while their work was halted for over an hour, they had to heed the threat and take precautionary measures, considering the recent spate of bombings in Mindanao.

The CA justices and employees returned to their respective offices at around 10:45 a.m.

About an hour later, tension gripped the DOJ compound in nearby Padre Faura Street due to another bomb threat.

Assistant State Prosecutor Benito Sales III said he received a text message from a colleague, Assistant State Prosecutor Niven Canlapan, at around 11:30 a.m. about a supposed bomb on the second floor of the DOJ main building where the executive offices are located, including the offices of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and her undersecretaries.

Fiscals and employees vacated their offices and stayed either outside the compound or in a nearby mall.

De Lima also left the DOJ and went to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters on Taft Avenue.

Santos’ team arrived at the premises about an hour after the evacuation.

“After our search and paneling, we did not find any suspicious device inside the building. Situation may now go back to normal,” the MPD official told reporters at 2 p.m.

Santos also said the police believe the sources of the threats on CA and DOJ were different.

“We can’t say these two incidents are linked to each other because they have different circumstances. We also can’t tell the motive,” he explained, adding the police would try to trace the sources of the threats.

PNP to public: Remain calm, cooperate

The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, asked the public to keep calm.

“The PNP is appealing to the public to remain calm despite the bombings and bomb threats,” said Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office chief.

Sindac also said the public should not engage in speculation and avoid disseminating wrong information, which would further result in confusion and fear in the community.

Instead, the public should be extra careful, more vigilant and inform authorities of suspicious individuals and packages.

“Our communication line will be open to respond to any report or call for help. Any information can be sent to the PNP through PNP 117, text hotline 0917-847-5757, official accounts on Facebook and Twitter,” Sindac added.

The latest bomb attack hit Wednesday in Midsayap, North Cotabato but no casualty was reported.

The deadliest was last Monday in Cotabato City which killed eight people, injured 35 and left massive destruction.

Last week, an improvised bomb ripped through a commercial center in Cagayan de Oro City, which also left eight dead and many wounded.

Sindac said Cagayan de Oro police filed multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges against the bombers of Kyla’s Bistro at Limketkai complex in the city.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima will disclose the full details about the Cagayan de Oro bombers during the Senate hearing.

In the bombing in Cotabato City, Sindac said police have established the facial composite sketches of people who allegedly threatened Cynthia Sayadi, the Cotabato City administrator and alleged target of attack.

Sindac also noted that Central Mindanao police director Chief Superintendent Charles Calima Jr. has denied arresting anyone for the Cotabato City bombing.

Police, military step up defense

Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño of Police Regional Office 9 said “the police commanders were already directed to fully employ the three-tiered defense system.”

Under the three-tiered defense system of the PNP, police forces are to intensify the intelligence, target hardening and incident management.

Vaño directed all ground police commanders in Western Mindanao to implement target hardening to counter lawless elements from staging bomb attacks, particularly in public places like commercial areas and places of convergence.  – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Roel Pareo, Alexis Romero, Danny Dangcalan