The Supreme Court (SC) conducted a surprise fire and bomb threat evacuation drill on Thursday afternoon which sent employees and onlookers into a brief panic.

The drill, which was unannounced and conducted with the approval of the en banc, began around 2:45 p.m. where Members of the Philippine National Police Bomb Squad and Philippine Coast Guard K9 Force were deployed to the scene to conduct inspections and ensure the safety of the premises.

Padre Faura Street, where the Supreme Court is located, was temporarily closed to traffic during the drill.

Employees were allowed to re-enter the compound around 3:30 p.m.

Atty. Camille Sue Mae Ting, SC spokesperson, said the initial assessment of the drill was positive but cited that there is room for improvement.