Bomb scare at bus terminal

MANILA, Philippines - Policemen prevented a bus from leaving its terminal in Quezon City for Leyte Tuesday afternoon after the firm that owns the unit received bomb threats.

Inspector Noel Sublay, head of the Explosives and Ordnance Division of the Quezon City Police District, said PP Bus Line Inc. received the threat that allegedly came from the New People’s Army (NPA) as its vehicle was about to leave its terminal at the corner of 20th Avenue and Diego Silang Street in Cubao.

Someone from the firm’s terminal in Leyte received a text message that stated: “May bomba sasabog. Ingat (A bomb will explode. Be careful)” at around 3:40 p.m. It was forwarded to the Cubao terminal.

About five minutes later, another text message from the same cellular phone number was again received. It stated: “Aurora Line Corp. NPA. Boom.” Aurora Line Corp. is another bus company that uses the same terminal in Leyte.

Senior Police Officer 2 Arvin Dimailig said two buses of Aurora Line were torched, allegedly by NPA rebels in Leyte, last October.

He said his team searched the Cubao terminal and the bus but did not find any bomb.