Bomb scare hits university

CEBU, Philippines — The University of Cebu-Banilad campus switched to online classes yesterday after someone using a “dummy account” posted a detailed message on Facebook threatening to bomb the school.

In response, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), particularly its Explosives and Ordnance Disposal K9 units; the Regional Anti Cybercrime Unit-7; and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 conducted a paneling operation to inspect the whole campus.

P/Major Romeo Caacoy Jr., Mabolo Police Station 4 chief, the area has been cleared and they did not find any suspicious items, particularly at the attic of the building mentioned in the post.

"Sa pagkakaron ongoing pa ang investigation. Ato pang gi-identify kinsa gyud ning ang maong nag-post kay naa man tay nakita sa Facebook, nag post siya. Among nabasa ang post ato pang gi-coordinate ang atoang anti-cybercrime unit para mahibaw-an nato kinsa ang nag-post,” he said.

This came after one “Shaleej Alejandra” threatened to detonate a bomb on the university campus.  She also mentioned possessing several firearms, including a security-issued shotgun, one long-barreled rifle, and a stolen 1911 “presidential firearm,” and six hand grenades

By late afternoon yesterday, the post was no longer viewable over Facebook.

Meanwhile, UC President Candice Gotianuy said that although they have received several bomb threats before, this particular threat looked different because Alejandra appeared to have made it as a “cry for help.”

“We have received so many bomb threats in the past, this is probably (the) third or fourth time that we (have) received it. It's almost regular but this is different because it seemed like a cry for help…Whoever you are, we sympathize with you, we wish your friends and family to have listened to you, could have made you special but not in this way,” she said in a Facebook post.

In the now-unavailable post, Alejandra mentioned that she was bullied, left out even by her parents, and was molested by someone named Jimmy C. Bulacan.

“Maybe this is the only way for somebody to finally listen to me and hear out my cries. As a child I grew accustomed to bullying, being left out, being let down, hell even my own parents can't spare time to listen to me,” she lamented.

“Everybody would just rather cut me off and proceed to living their own lives without realizing how much they have ruined mine,” she added.

Alejandra said in her post that Bulacan, close friend of her father, allegedly molested her in her bedroom while her mother was in “Ozamis Oriental” and her father was dead drunk.

Gotianuy assured that they will check and further investigate the certainty of the names Alejandra mentioned.

She believed that although Alejandra mentioned UC Banilad, her post was not specifically intended against the school but was just her way to release her frustration and anger.

She emphasized that anyone with problems should seek professional help.

“We have mental health professionals that you are aware (of), we have people who can help you with these things, the problems that you are going through. We just wish you well,” Gotianuy said.

Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and CCPO Acting Director Antonietto Cañete also visited the school campus to personally check the situation and ensure the safety of the faculty and students.

Garcia thanked the police for immediately responding to the alarm, as he expressed relief that nothing was found during the inspection.

“Apparently they did not find anything. So, lipay ta nga karon…there was no bomb,” he said.

“Based on initial information nga among nakit-an bag-o pa kaayo ni nga account nga gihimo. Well, it was just made for this purpose, we believe. So, give us more time, tan-awon na nato if ato gyud na makit-an,” he added. — (FREEMAN)