Cebu police: Recent school, bomb threats were not coordinated

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have ruled out any coordination behind the recent wave of school shooting and bomb threats circulating in Cebu, saying investigations show each incident stemmed from separate motives.

Authorities, however, said the incidents have prompted heightened security in schools and public areas. Moreover, they warned that those behind online threats could still face criminal charges despite claiming they were hoaxes.

Police Lieutenant Col. Franco Oriol, deputy director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said investigators have so far recorded five cases of threats involving schools and business establishments within Cebu City.

READ: Bomb hoax: Cebu City eyes raps, has culprit’s number, e-mail

“Mogawas sa atong investigation nga [dili ni] orchestrated. These are all results of nagkalain-lain na motibo sa indibidwal,” Oriol said during a news forum on Tuesday, July 7.

(Our investigation found that these incidents were not orchestrated. Each individual involved had different motives.)

He added that investigators have found no indication that the threats were connected to terrorism, organized crime, or any coordinated group operating in Cebu City.

Separate incidents under investigation

Among the recent cases was an online post threatening teachers and the school principal of Inayawan National High School.

Oriol said the suspect, a 13-year-old former student of the school, admitted posting the shooting threat on social media.

“Ang iyang motibo kay naa siyay kasuko…Perhaps, dala ra pud sa iyang immaturity and sa iyahang kaedaron,” Oriol said.

(His motive stemmed from anger. Perhaps it was also due to his immaturity and his young age.)

READ: Boy, 13, former student, tagged in Inayawan school shooting threat

The minor will undergo assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation under the Cebu City Social Welfare Services, Oriol said.

Another incident occurred on July 3 when a bomb threat triggered a large-scale security response and partial lockdown at a mall in Cebu IT Park.

Authorities said the threat was sent through a social media message claiming an improvised explosive device had been placed inside a comfort room on the mall’s second floor.

The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) also reported monitoring similar threats in other parts of the province.

One of the latest cases involved Talisay City Elementary School and Talisay City National High School, where classes scheduled for July 6 were suspended following an online threat targeting students.

READ: Talisay City: No classes in 2 schools July 6 after online threat — Gullas

Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas said a Facebook post warned about bringing a gun to school and even included “condolence” messages directed at students, prompting police to treat the threat seriously.

Police tighten campus security

In response, the CCPO and CPPO have strengthened security measures in public and private schools while increasing monitoring and inspection activities.

Across Cebu Province, more than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed to schools in municipalities and component cities.

“Up to the time na magclose ang schools, the police is there (The police will remain at the schools until classes end),” said Police Lieutenant Col. Jose Rovic Villarin, deputy provincial director for operations of the CPPO.

In Cebu City, police have adopted a clustered deployment system to ensure schools have law enforcement personnel assigned to them.

Police warn of legal consequences

Police stressed that bomb and school shooting threats, even when intended as hoaxes, carry serious consequences because they disrupt classes, public safety operations, and economic activity.

Oriol said offenders may face charges under the Cybercrime Prevention Act and other applicable laws, depending on the circumstances of each case.

READ: Baricuatro orders standardized security protocols for schools

“We want to make sure in Cebu City that we will be locating, identifying, and filing charges against suspects once the cybercrime unit has completed the investigation. We want to make it a point that there will be consequences,” Oriol said.

Parents urged to stay involved

Meanwhile, Police Major Marvin Fegarido, head of the CCPO’s Police Community Relations unit, called on parents to closely monitor their children to help prevent similar incidents.

He said police are conducting information drives through parent-teacher associations to educate families and students on responsible online behavior and discourage them from being influenced into harmful actions.

Authorities emphasized that keeping schools safe requires sustained cooperation among law enforcement agencies, school officials, parents, and students.

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