WPD gets 14 prank bomb calls

Western Police District director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon, Jr., ordered yesterday all his field commanders to intensify their watch over all schools in Manila, after police received several prank bomb calls yesterday and Wednesday with schools as alleged targets.

Yesterday afternoon, the WPD-Tactical Operations Center received a total of 14 prank calls. The other day, it received six prank calls about alleged bombs planted in six school.

Among those victimized by prank bomb calls were the Mariano Ponce High School, located in Antipolo street; Felipe Calderon High School, located along Hermosa street, Tondo; Mariano Ponce Integrated School, located along T. Mapua street in Sta. Cruz; Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School, the Antonio Morga Elementary School and the Lakandula Elementary School.

Razon said the prank calls should not be taken lightly as many schoolchildren could be hurt or killed should bombs explode in schools.

Last Dec. 30, at least 22 persons were killed and scores were badly wounded in Manila when a bomb exploded inside a fully-packed coach of the Light Railway Transit as it was stopping at the Blumentritt station.

Many others were wounded when another bomb exploded at the Plaza Ferguson in Ermita, Manila, that same day.

Aside from Manila, bombs also exploded that same day in Makati City, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and in Cubao, Quezon City.

Killed in the Makati blast were two policemen detailed with the city’s explosives and ordnance division, while a male passenger was killed in the Cubao blast after a bomb exploded inside a passenger bus.

The Philippine National Police had claimed that the explosions were the handiwork of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in a bid to embarrass the government.