Gullas suspends work at Talisay City Hall following bomb scare

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel from Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) have arrived at Talisay City Hall to check on the gray backpack believed to contain a bomb. /Zena Magto

TALISAY CITY, Philippines – Mayor Eduardo Gullas has ordered the suspension of work at the Talisay City Hall shortly before noontime today, May 29, following the discovery of a backpack believed to contain a bomb.

Bienvenido Llera, a Job Order (JO) employee, found the dark gray backpack outside of thePerson with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) located at the upper ground floor left wing of the City Hall building past 9 a.m.

Llera said the backs appears to contain something with a blinking red light inside, the reason why he immediately alerted the roving guards, who slowly moved the bag to the City Hall building’s left side.

Gullas has ordered the suspension of work in all government offices following the discovery of the gray backpack.

“The safety of our people is the paramount importance. I opted to suspend the woks of all the employees in Talisay City Hall following this alleged serious threat to our safety, I firmly believe this is the best way at this point in time. While the Clearing operation of PNP Is on going, I instructed our security personnel to deny anyone who would try to get through inside the city hall premises. I appeal to everyone to stay calm and follow all the protocols as the police may provide. I also appeal to all of you to pray to Sr. Santo Nino and Sta. Teresa de avila for our safety,” Gullas said in a statement posted at the Office of the Mayor, City of Talisay, Cebu Facebook page at around 11 a.m. today.

Personnel from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), who arrived at the City Hall shortly before noontime, already took possession of the back./dcb