BACOLOD City – A bomb threat that prompted the suspension of classes at Mariano G. Medalla Integrated School in Barangay Pahanocoy on Tuesday, July 21, was confirmed to be a hoax after police and bomb disposal personnel found no explosives on the campus.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Col. Eugene Rabadomia said the bomb threat stemmed from a prank call made through the 911 emergency hotline. Authorities are now tracing the cellphone number used in the call to identify and prosecute the person responsible.
The alleged bomb threat was reported at about 12:30 p.m., prompting personnel from Police Station 8 to immediately secure the school and coordinate with administrators while implementing emergency safety protocols.
Members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine (EOD/K9) Unit, led by Police Capt. Jester Minguez, arrived at around 1:58 p.m. and conducted a thorough inspection of the school’s four buildings using explosive detection dogs.
The clearing operation concluded at 2:25 p.m., with authorities confirming that no explosive device or hazardous material was found. The campus was subsequently declared safe, although Officer-in-Charge Principal Maria Cecelia G. Bergantin suspended classes as a precaution.
Despite the false alarm, Rabadomia said the incident demonstrated the school’s readiness to respond to emergencies.
He credited the orderly evacuation and response to a series of bomb threat simulations and emergency preparedness exercises previously conducted by the BCPO in partnership with educational institutions.
The BCPO has also been conducting security briefings and symposiums for school officials, teachers, and students on bomb threat awareness, emergency response procedures, and campus safety protocols.
Mayor Greg Gasataya condemned the malicious act, stressing that the city has zero tolerance for incidents that endanger students, teachers, and school personnel.
“The City of Bacolod condemns this malicious attempt to incite fear and panic in our educational institutions. We remain committed to ensuring that our schools are safe and secure learning environments,” Gasataya said.
He said the city government is closely coordinating with the BCPO in the ongoing investigation to identify the source of the false bomb threat.
To further strengthen campus security, Gasataya said the city is preparing to install handheld and walk-through metal detectors in all public elementary and secondary schools.
The security equipment will complement the continuing security briefings, emergency preparedness training, and protocol seminars being conducted for school administrators, teachers, and students to enhance campus safety and threat preparedness./PN
