MANILA, Philippines — Police have considered closed the case involving the hoax bomb threat at a school in Taguig City last month, with the filing of criminal charges against the suspects.
Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft, director of the Southern Police District (SPD), said four more people were implicated in the case. All are relatives of a Grade 9 student of the Taguig Signal Village National High School, who was earlier tagged as a suspect in the bomb scare.
Three of the suspects were identified as Rizaldy, Theersa and Jessa, all surnamed Canto, and a 14-year-old girl.
With the identification of the other suspects, Kraft said the case is considered closed.
“We ask the public to stop making bomb jokes or threats dahil ito ay may kaakibat na multa at pagkakakulong,” he said in a statement.
Complaints were filed against the suspects before the Taguig prosecutor’s office on Nov. 24 for violation of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act, Presidential Decree No. 1727, which prohibits the malicious dissemination of false information or the willfull making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device or means of destruction, both in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Based on police investigation, Kraft said the suspects were responsible for the bomb threat at the school, which resulted in the suspension of classes on Nov. 7.
The suspects reportedly used a Facebook account under “Sofia Smith” who posted that students of the school would be killed in an explosion.