ILOILO City — A surge of bomb threats across Western Visayas has exposed a worrying security gap: the region is being protected by only 61 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel, a number police officials concede is dangerously insufficient as incidents continue to escalate.
Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan said the shortage has forced the police to reinforce local station capabilities to compensate for the thinly stretched EOD manpower.
“We have limited EOD personnel, that is why we are training our local police to help respond when needed,” he said, stressing the need for preparedness at all levels amid the rising frequency of threats.
Ligan noted that most threats are designed to sow fear, not necessarily to cause physical harm.
“The intent of these threats is simply to cause panic,” he said.
Although no actual explosive devices have been recovered in recent cases, he reminded the public to avoid panic and instead act with discipline and presence of mind.
“People should assess the situation carefully and immediately report to authorities. Panic will only worsen fear,” he added.
The PRO-6 chief also urged communities to familiarize themselves with proper protocols when responding to bomb threat situations, emphasizing that vigilance and coordinated action are crucial.
From January to November, PRO-6 recorded 75 bomb threats, with a spike in school-related incidents reported in November alone.
Police continue to tighten coordination with schools, local government units, and emergency responders to manage the growing security challenge.
In a related development, authorities said they are closing in on the individuals behind the bomb threats, with investigators now armed with cyber warrants and digital evidence supplied by Meta.
The PRO-6 and the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) said latest legal and technical breakthroughs could finally unmask the people behind the scares — many of whom hid behind dummy accounts and anonymous mobile numbers.
Ligan said their investigators are actively tracking several mobile numbers already linked to the threats, although verification of the identities continues.
“We already have numbers connected to these incidents, and we’re working to establish who owns them. Once confirmed, cases will be filed without hesitation,” he said.
Ligan warned perpetrators that the campaign is gaining traction. “We’ve already filed cases, and we will pursue all responsible. This is not something to joke about.”
ICPO director Colonel Kim Legada confirmed that seven of the 20 persons of interest are now covered by court-approved cyber warrants after investigators received data from Meta connected to suspicious social media accounts.
“As of now, we have evidence and data released by Meta, and there are already seven individuals whom we applied cyber warrants for in court for disclosure of data,” Legada said.
He noted that the investigation does not suggest a single mastermind: “We don’t expect only one person or a coordinated group. Based on those arrested, they do not know each other, and the threats are simply being sent to their respective schools.”
The Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit of the PRO-6 has identified around 20 accounts for cyber-warrant application./PN