- Students, personnel evacuated as police sweep two schools
BOMB specialists and K9 units locked down a private institution and a public school after the twin threats over social media triggered mass evacuation in F. Torres Street and in Mintal, Tugbok District on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
The incident, which the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) classified as a “Code 8” threat, began with an alarm raised at approximately 9:59 a.m. when a 24-year-old teacher, identified as Mr. Al, received a direct message on Facebook from an account named “Garcia.”
The message warned of a potential bomb inside the school and even provided a specific, detailed description of a suspicious person: a man wearing blue clothes and carrying a black bag.
Upon receiving the information, Mr. Al and his colleagues immediately implemented emergency protocols, successfully suspending classes and facilitating the rapid, safe evacuation of all students to a designated safe area, minimizing risk and panic.
The threat was reported to the Central 911 command center at 10:20 a.m., initiating a coordinated security lockdown.
The Davao City Police Station 2 (PS2) swiftly dispatched investigators to conduct an initial ocular inspection.
Specialized units, including the SWAT and the CECU Blaster Alpha Team EOD personnel, led by PEMS Arnold Baguio, were then deployed to conduct a meticulous search.
The search concluded at 11:44 a.m., and the teams declared the entire campus cleared.
Another threat
Just when the authorities returned to their stations, they were ordered to respond to another bomb threat at Mintal Comprehensive National Standalone Senior High School at 1:10 p.m., after the school’s official social media account received a threatening message.
According to the police report, the bomb threat was received at approximately 12:45 p.m. when the school’s official Facebook page received a chat message from a user identified only by the account name “Kozo Wagner.”
The unidentified individual claimed in the message that a bomb had been planted inside the school premises and would “detonate without warning.”
Following established emergency protocols, teachers and students were safely evacuated to the nearby Regional Training Center XI.
The school premises, located on San Francisco Street, have since been cordoned off by police to allow for the conduct of proper security actions, investigation, and search and clearing operations by specialized units. Authorities are also investigating the source of the threat.
Photos courtesy of DCPO
