School officials in various public schools in Bataan province have suspended classes following the circulation of an alleged bomb threat in the province.

Initial reports disclosed that the threat has also reached the Department of Education in Bataan in an email, saying that the alleged perpetrator has sent high-performance bombs to various government facilities.

With the reports circulating, school officials decided to suspend classes and send the students home.

Philippine National Police Bataan director Col. Palmer Tria said that they are still assessing and monitoring information regarding the alleged bomb threat, saying he reported it already to Bataan Governor Joet Garcia.

“We are still assessing if it is a hoax,” Tria said.

However, General Benjamin Silo, chief of Civil Security Group — through Col. Ronnie Favia — said the Explosive and Ordnance Division had the information already as it had spread in December last year.

In a circulating screen grab, the bomb threat supposedly came from a Japanese lawyer who identified himself as Takahiro Karasawa, of Steadiness law office with telephone number +81-3-6435-8073.

DAILY TRIBUNE called up the number apparently from Japan, but it directed to an answering machine.

“I sent high-performance bombs in major Philippine facilities. Those bombs will explode approximately at 3:34 p.m. this 12 February,” said the alleged bomb threat. “It is time, all human beings, to reclaim your freedom.”

Over at Ilocos Norte, Col. Fred Obar, newly-designated police director, and Col. Julius Suriben, chief of staff at Regional police office 4-A, disclosed that they have no such report in their areas so far but they remain on alert.

Meantime, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that the alleged bomb threat is a hoax.