Police and bomb squad secure the Cebu City Hall building after a bomb threat was received by authorities on Friday morning, August 27, 2021. | Photo Courtesy of CDRRMO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A bomb threat disrupted operations at the Cebu City Hall on Friday, August 27, 2021.
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) administrative head Ramil Ayuman said they received a text of a threat from an anonymous number around 10:19 a.m.
Police were immediately informed and a bomb squad was sent to check the building.
All employees working at the City Hall were evacuated and as of 12 noon, the police and bomb squad initially cleared the threat.
Councilor David Tumulak said that the police initially didn’t find any bomb inside the City Hall, but all work has still been suspended as the bomb squad continues to check every floor.
“Giinform ‘ta ni Attorney Maru Salvattiera nga suspended ang operations sa City Hall. Monday na balik,” he said.
(We were informed by Attorney Maru Salvattiera that operations at the City Hall were suspended until Monday.)
Tumulak said they are seeking the help of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to trace the number of the perpetrators.
Councilor Philip Zafra, the committee chairperson on peace and order, has already directed City Police Director Colonel Josefino Ligan to investigate the incident.
He said the city government will not tolerate these kinds of actions from individuals who seek to sow fear among the public.
“Dili na nato sila tugutan nga manghadlok. Dili ni nato buhian,” said Zafra.
(We won’t allow them to scare us. We won’t let go of this.)
Zafra is also at the City Hall monitoring the progress of the clearing, but so far, he said the bomb squad has not found any trace of any kind of explosive.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella released a statement on Friday noon, asking the police to investigate this incident.
“I now ask the PNP (Philippine National Police) to please investigate the identity of the sender of the bomb threat and bring him to the bars of justice,” Labella said in the statement.
/bmjo
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