CA gets bomb threat

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said they are tracing the identity of the man who called the Court of Appeals (CA) yesterday morning and threatened that a bomb would explode within its premises.

NBI sources said the CA’s telephone system has a caller identification (ID) function that would enable them to trace where the man made the call.

The CA is located along Ma. Orosa street in Mabini. Initial investigation conducted by the NBI showed that an unidentified man made the prank call at around 8:30 a.m. Telephone operator Emma Pantuja said a male voice said, “CA ba ito? Mag ingat kayo sa ilang minuto sasabog na sila (Is this the CA? Watch out, they’ll explode in a few minutes).”

Pantuja called the bomb squad from the Manila Police District (MPD) and the NBI. An NBI official said they believe “the prank call was made to stop” two writ of amparo hearings, which pushed through three to four hours later.

The CA’s eighth division was supposed to hear a petition for writ of amparo filed by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) secretary general Lorena Santos. Among those named as respondents was President Arroyo.

The CA’s 15th division was also supposed to hear another petition for writ of amparo, filed by Police Officer 3 Emelyn Lusterio and Menchita Lusterio on behalf of discharged Marine Monchito Lusterio, who is being hunted for the Nov. 29 Peninsula Manila hotel siege.

“Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Hermogenes Esperon were already at the CA when the bomb scare happened,” an official said.

The source added that it took them three hours to search the area before they declared the CA compound free of bombs.