Strict bomb response guidelines sought amid campus scare
‘Every bomb threat must be taken seriously, but our response must also be disciplined, coordinated, and guided by established procedures.’
THE National Capital Region Police Office directs Metro Manila police commanders to reinforce school bomb threat protocols and intensify campus security awareness.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) ordered police units across Metro Manila to strengthen bomb threat response protocols in schools following campus evacuations triggered by written threats at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and the University of the East (UE).
NCRPO officer-in-charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano directed local police commanders to intensify bomb threat awareness campaigns and coordinate closely with school administrators, campus security teams, local government units and emergency responders.
“Every bomb threat must be taken seriously, but our response must also be disciplined, coordinated and guided by established procedures,” Abrahano said.
The directive comes after two written bomb threats were discovered inside women’s restrooms at the UST Medicine Building in Manila on Friday, forcing the evacuation of students and faculty.
A separate bomb threat disrupted campus operations at the University of the East’s Manila campus on Tuesday.
Abrahano stressed that school administrators and security personnel must be prepared to execute structured protocols, including clear reporting lines, evidence preservation, orderly evacuations when warranted, and thorough security sweeps before allowing occupants back inside buildings.
Police units were also tasked with instructing school officials to avoid disseminating unverified information that could cause public panic.
Abrahano added that decisions regarding class suspensions, building evacuations, and building clearances must rely strictly on situational risk assessments conducted by authorized responding personnel.