PNP: Bomb threats not meant to destabilize government

MANILA, Philippines — The bomb threats that hit various government offices and schools in Luzon on Monday were not meant to destabilize the administration of President Marcos, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

The prankster was not done yet as the individual, supposedly a Japanese lawyer, sent another bomb threat yesterday to the National Council for Children (NCC) in Quezon City.

While the bomb scares disrupted operations of the institutions that were hit, PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said there is no evidence that would suggest that the threats are related to any efforts to destabilize the government.

“So far we do not see any indication that would lead to that conclusion,” Fajardo said in a phone interview.

There were reports of alleged destabilization attempts after a word war erupted between Marcos and his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who called the President a drug addict.

Marcos hit back at Duterte, saying the former leader was into the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl.

Fajardo noted that the hoax bomb threats had the same signature as the scare that hit government offices, public schools and a railway in September, October and December last year.

The threats, sent through email, were perpetrated by an individual who introduced himself as Takahiro Karasawa.

According to Fajardo, the bomb threats are not limited to the Philippines, as South Korea and Taiwan have received the same email.

More bomb threats

The prankster struck again yesterday, sending a bomb threat to the NCC.

An employee of the NCC asked for help from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) after receiving the email at around 7:30 a.m.

People were evacuated from the NCC building in Barangay Mariana as police searched for explosives.

QCPD director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said no bomb was found in the building.

Three public schools in Taguig also received bomb threats yesterday, city police chief Col. Robert Baesa confirmed to The STAR.

The affected institutions are the University of Makati, Fort Bonifacio Elementary School and West Rembo Elementary School.

Upon inspection by the city’s bomb squad, Baesa said the threats turned out to be hoaxes.

Meanwhile, the Social Security System (SSS) office in Lucena City, Quezon suspended operations on Monday due to a bomb threat.

Lt. Col. Ruben Ballera Jr., Lucena police director, said SSS branch manager Sherlie Calusin received the bomb threat sent through email from an anonymous sender.

Police found no bomb after sweeping the SSS building.

28 offices targeted

At least 28 government agencies in Metro Manila received bomb threats on Monday, according to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

“In the National Capital Region alone, 28 government offices received this form of email from Japan,” CICC executive director Alexander Ramos said at a press conference.

Among the agencies that received bomb scares were the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong, Department of Energy, Department of Tourism, Commission on Audit, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Department of Education and Department of Information Communications and Technology (DICT).

The DICT led other government agencies in a meeting with a representative from the Japanese embassy yesterday to formulate a comprehensive strategy to effectively combat the threat.

Public schools in Malabon, Marikina and Parañaque as well as the Department of Education office in Pasig also received bomb threats.

Aside from the Philippines, Ramos said Malaysia was also hit by bomb threats yesterday.

Investigation showed that the threats came from the same source that spread bomb scares in the Philippines in 2023.

It was also the same source that threatened to bomb government agencies in Taiwan, Korea and Japan in 2021.

Following the bomb threats in 2021, Japan launched a probe that led to the identification of Karasawa, who claimed that his identity was stolen.

The CICC had asked Japan to identify the suspect behind the bomb threats.

Remain vigilant – PNP

In the wake of the malicious emails, the PNP urged the public to remain vigilant and resilient.

“Community leaders are encouraged to keep their constituents well-informed and engaged in their civic duties and responsibilities,” the PNP said in a statement.

Police said people should also avoid sharing unverified information on social media as this can cause panic and confusion.

The PNP warned the public that spreading false information about bomb threats are punishable under Presidential Decree 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law.

Violators may face penalty of up to five years in prison and fined not exceeding P40,000.

The Bureau of Immigration is also looking into the real identity of Karasawa, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.

He said BI probers would coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Bureau of Investigation to determine if Karasawa is in the country.

“We will verify if this is his real identity, or if he is a prankster using a fictitious name,” Tansingco said.

He said the DOJ could issue a hold order against Karasawa or include him in the BI blacklist.

Based on the BI database, there are four persons bearing the name Takahiro Karasawa. All of them are currently not in the Philippines. — Nillicent Bautista, Evelyn Macairan, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ed Amoroso