Cops collar QC high school ‘bomb threat’ suspect
QUEZON City Police District (QCPD) Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas D Torre III announced the arrest of the person behind the Facebook (FB) account sending bomb threats on Thursday on Ponciano High School FB Page.
Cubao Police Station (PS) 7 under P/Lt. Col. Joseph Euje Almaquer said the 22-year-old suspect was a resident of Barangay San Martin De Porres, Cubao, QC.
Report shows that the bomb threat was sent in the FB page messenger of Ponciano High School at about 12:57 a.m. of January 26, 2023 by a certain “Bob Key Ser Panganiban” account stating “May tinanim ako na bomba sa elementary; sasama tayong mauubos; Isang studyante ako sa als; samasama tayo; sasabog nasa may bag; na itim sa may cr banda; ubos ang mga bata sa ponciano; kailangan magbigay kayo ng 100k pabuya para di ko na ito ituloy; teacher ko ay si mam Nancy; pakibigay nalang sa room.”
The incident was immediately reported to PS 7 by the school principal at about 9:00 a.m. of the same day and relayed to District EOD (Explosive Ordnance Division) and Canine Unit (DECU), who immediately responded and conducted paneling operations and thorough inspections inside the school premises.
The bomb disposal team found no bombs or the presence of any improvised explosive device (IED) and was declared “safe.”
An investigation was immediately conducted by PS 7 together with Quezon City Anti-Cyber Crime Team (QCACT), wherein the profile picture used by the sender “Bob Key Ser Panganiban” account was verified and turned to be a Grade 8 Alternative Learning System (ALS), a student at Ponciano Elementary School, and proceeded to the whereabouts of the minor.
During the interview with the minor, he said that the account used was not his account and belonged to another.
He provided probers who were responsible for the alarm and pinpointed his classmate in ALS, identified as “Kadusale.”
The minor texted the suspect to proceed to the Barangay Hall of San Martin de Porres, Cubao, to clarify things, wherein the suspect agreed.
Consequently, the operatives asked the suspect to submit his cellphone for verification voluntarily. “Kadusale” validated and verified that it was his account used in the bomb threat and was immediately arrested by the authorities.
The suspect will be facing charges of violation of PD (Presidential Decree) 1727 or Anti-Bomb Joke Law in relation to Section 6 of RA (Republic Act) 10175 or the Anti-Cyber Crime Law and robbery extortion.
Torre said, “I warned the public to refrain from posting or making bomb jokes dahil ito ay my karampatang kaparusahan. Maging leksyon sana ito sa ating kababayan na iwasan ang ganitong bagay dahil wala naman itong maidudulot na maganda bagkus ay maging dahilan pa ito ng kaguluhan sa ating mamamayan.”
