BALANGA CITY (PIA) — Bataan Police proved to the public that the reported bomb threat in Balanga City on Monday was a hoax.
In a statement, Balanga City Police Station (CPS) and Metro Bataan Development Authority received the bomb threat report at 8:00AM targeting St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Bank of the Philippine Islands, two branches of Banco de Oro, Elizabeth Bodega Supermarket and Waltermart Supermarket.
Police Provincial Director PCol. Jesus Rebua stated that they have proved the report to be false, and there are no bombs planted in those areas.
Rebua stressed that their SWAT team immediately responded to the premises of the establishments and conducted an inspection with K9 bomb-sniffing dogs to determine if there are any explosive devices nearby.
Moreover, the Balanga CPS also coordinated with Balanga City Public Safety Office to utilize the CCTV cameras in monitoring the entire city.
“As of now, we are trying to trace the phone number used to send the threat. In this situation, the public should not panic. Just call us and we will immediately respond to your concern,” Rebua said.
He also noted that there were no delays in the operations of the targeted establishments.
For his part, Governor Albert Raymond Garcia called on his constituents to take extra precautions especially amid the coronavirus disease crisis that the entire world is facing.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to our police force for their prompt response. We should unite to ensure the safety of everyone. The challenges we are facing right now should be taken seriously, and we really need to help each other to overcome all of these,” Garcia said.
Even after confirming the falseness of the report, police presence is still maintained in the said areas.