An attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology is working with the Japanese government to look into the false bomb threats in several government departments, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
According to Malacañang, DICT's Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said they are doing a full probe after Japan allegedly sent bomb threats to at least six government agencies and local government units.
In particular, the Department of Education head office in Quezon City, the local government of Iba in Zambales province, and the division office of the Department of Education in Bataan received bomb threats from a particular Takahiro Karasawa.
"Efforts are now on the way to request the Japanese government to investigate thoroughly and identify the sender," Malacañang said, citing the CICC.
"There is no cause for alarm as this sender and email has been tagged as a hoax," it added.
It also said that last year, similar bomb threats were made against several government organizations.
The CICC did make it clear, though, that the affected government departments were told to practice their own emergency evacuation plans as part of their emergency plans and preparations.
The National Bureau of Investigation, for its part, said that their own probe has begun.
It also said that it had started working together with the Japan Police Attache, other police departments, and first responders.
"We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or information related to this case to the authorities,” NBI Director Medardo De Lemos said.
“The NBI is committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation, leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice. We will keep the public informed of any significant developments in this case,” he added.