The Dumaguete City government is working on a plan of action to effectively respond to scenarios like Thursday’s bomb threat in five City areas.
Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria told the Dumaguete Metropost that he had convened a meeting of the City Disaster Coordinating Council to identify weak points in the City’s disaster preparedness plan.
Dumaguete policemen had fanned across the city early Thursday afternoon after receiving bomb threats through text messages.
The text messages said bombs were set to go off at 1 p.m. at the West City Elementary School, City Central Elementary School, the City Hall, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Redemptorist Church.
Police asked everyone in those buildings to go home before 1 p.m. and the bomb squad inspected the buildings for any suspicious packages.
“We were asked to look around for sealed boxes as some policemen came in with sticks to poke or open some suspicious boxes,” said a Department of Education staff member who asked not to be identified.
Police declared the areas clear by 2 p.m. but most of the building occupants did not return.
“I told the employees to take the afternoon off as I accompanied the bomb squad in going over every room at the City Hall,” Sagarbarria said.
Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, PNP Provincial Director, told reporters later that they will evaluate Thursday’s incident to identify and improve on some weak points in their capabilities.
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