EDITORIAL — Whenever someone cries bomb

The other day not just one but two schools received bomb threats.

First was the Cebu Technological University Main Campus, which was forced to cancel the midterm exams after a certain “John Steve” said in Facebook that a bomb had been planted in the campus. That same morning the Cebu Institute of Technology-University also received a similar threat.

Both schools had to cancel classes and evacuate students and faculty to ensure their safety.

We have repeatedly said that a bomb threat means there is no bomb at all, it’s just a scare tactic meant to cause chaos and confusion. Because who in his right --or make that twisted-- mind would build a bomb to kill or maim people, then call ahead to warn people about the bomb so they won’t get killed or maimed.

But then again whenever this happens we must take all the necessary precautions. Lives and infrastructure have to be secured after all.

And here lies the rub. Whenever someone cries bomb, and schools, government offices, or other institutions or establishments have to be evacuated and searched this causes disruption. And this disruption means classes are interrupted, services are put off, and the public put on high alert.

But that’s not all, it also means time, talent, and effort wasted on a wild goose chase, and those are resources that could have been spent on an actual emergency. It’s not off the mark to think that sometimes a bomb threat does more in terms of damage than an actual bomb itself.

And when we look at events in Cebu City recently this isn’t the first bomb hoax. In fact, with social media and cellphones it’s now easier to send a message anonymously.

In August 2021, Cebu City Hall received a text message that a bomb had been planted in the building. In March 2022, operations at the Qimonda IT Center building at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City were disrupted after a court employee received a text message as well as a phone call saying bombs.

May that same year pranksters again texted that a bomb was planted at the Qimonda Building, and also in City Hall, the Carbon market, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

Just last August, classes at the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus had to be held online after someone said on social media that she was going to bomb the school.

Authorities better get to the bottom of this and find and prosecute those responsible. Otherwise those who have nothing better to do with their time will just keep on calling in or reporting bomb threats, filled with confidence that they can never be caught or held responsible for their actions.