NEWS

Taguig bomb hoax suspects tagged

Threat traced to FB account created by a 16-year-old girl studying at Signal Village High

Alvin Murcia

The suspects behind the bomb threat issued against a school in Taguig City have been identified by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.

Taguig police chief P/Col. Robert Baesa and P/Lt. Col. Jay Guillermo of the PNP-ACG announced in a press conference Monday that one of the suspects is a 16-year-old female student at Signal Village National High School in Taguig.

A Facebook account under the name "Sofia Smith" made the threat to detonate the bomb to kill students and faculty members.

"I will kill all students at Taguig Signal Village Taguig City," the threat under Sofia Smith's account said. "Like what happened in Thailand, be prepared and I will detonate a bomb there at Signal."

"I will kill you all. All students. I will kill all students at Signal. Be prepared hahaha. I will kill everyone."

No bomb was found by the police in a sweep of different schools in Taguig, but they launched an investigation to identify the suspect or suspects behind the threat.

The police first traced the smartphone number used to create the Sofia Smith FB account. It belonged to a resident of Barangay Central Signal in Taguig.

While the smartphone is owned by the 16-year-old Grade 9 female student of Signal Village National High, the police discovered that she was not alone in making the threat.

A cybercrime search warrant was secured by the police to seize the phone from the girl following a raid at her house. The phone is being subjected to digital forensic investigation.

Police investigation showed the girl and the others who made the threats, including a terminated street sweeper, were angry at the school and some teachers.

Charges of making grave threats in relation to the anti-terrorism law is being considered by the police against the suspects.