Suspect in Comelec bomb threat faces raps

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal charges have been filed against a man who threatened to bomb offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), according to the National Bureau of Investigation.

NBI agents arrested Gian Carlo Maningo, 38, on Wednesday night.

In a post on social media, Maningo offered a reward of P5 million for anyone who could launch bomb attacks on all Comelec sites, including the poll body’s central office in Manila.

The NBI managed to trace the Facebook account “Gi Maningo” to the suspect.

The NBI confiscated Maningo’s cell phone, which he used in posting the bomb threat on social media.

Charges of violation of Republic Act 11479, the Anti-Terrorism Act and RA 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, were filed against Maningo before the Mandaue prosecutor’s office in Cebu.

The suspect was also charged for violating Presidential Decree 1727, the willful issuance of a bomb threat, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to P40,000.

Justice Undersecretary Nicolas Felix Ty endorsed the case to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, who ordered the NBI-Central Visayas to investigate the matter, citing the gravity of the threat.