HEIGHTENED ALERT. Personnel of the Bukidnon Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit conduct 'operation shock and awe' on Sunday (Nov. 5, 2023) at the Public Terminal, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. The heightened alert came following a bomb scare circulating online. (Photo courtesy of BPPO-PECU)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Bukidnon Provincial Police Office (BPPO) is on high alert following online bomb threats.
In a statement Monday, BPPO's Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (PECU) said a purported Philippine National Police memorandum circulating over social media about bomb threats on populous locations in Bukidnon remains unverified "but shouldn't be ignored."
"The alleged (bombing) threats were sent solely for the PNP personnel for verification, validation, and investigation" BPPO-PECU said.
BPPO-PECU urged the public not to share the spurious document so as not to create panic and confusion.
The Malaybalay City Police Station (MCPS) said it managed to trace a “person of interest” who allegedly forwarded the document via Facebook, which caused public concern.
In a radio interview, Executive Master Sgt. Alexander Calma, the MCPS focal person, said the person's parents claimed that he has mental problems and was asked to provide a medical certificate.
Failure to provide proof of the person's mental condition may lead to the filing of appropriate charges, Calma said.
Presidential Decree No. 1727, otherwise known as the anti-bomb joke law, penalizes offenders for the malicious dissemination of false information about any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar device. (PNA)
