Borongan city: The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed cases against four students for violating the Anti-Bomb Joke Law after they circulated false bomb and gun threats at a school in Eastern Samar. Police Regional Office - Eastern Visayas spokesperson Lt. Col. Analiza Armeza announced during a press briefing that the filing of cases against the students, aged 15 and above, underscores the authorities' determination to address false bomb and gun threats.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Borongan City Police Office initiated the cases on August 7 for violation of Presidential Decree 1727. This decree penalizes the dissemination of false information regarding bomb threats and similar hoaxes that incite public alarm and necessitate security measures. The online post led to the suspension of classes at the Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School (ESNCHS) in Borongan City on July 3.
The incident occurred just weeks after a fatal shooting at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, which resulted in three deaths and injuries to 20 others. 'We have been taking appropriate legal action against anyone found to have violated the law by spreading false information, issuing threats, or causing public alarm,' Armeza stated during the briefing.
Since the school shooting on June 22, regional police have documented 16 bomb and gun threats in Tacloban City and the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar. Police have identified 10 individuals allegedly responsible for circulating the threats, including the four students now facing charges. The remaining six individuals, all below 15 years of age, have been referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for intervention.
Previously, the regional Department of Education (DepEd) office advocated for more stringent consequences against students who threaten school safety following a series of fake shooting and bomb alerts across Eastern Visayas. DepEd - Eastern Visayas Director Salustiano Jimenez emphasized the need for stronger action against students making threats, even in jest, especially following the tragic event at San Jose National High School.
The DepEd central office had earlier issued a warning that students making bomb threats, even as jokes, would be prohibited from enrolling in their schools the subsequent year. Under DepEd Order 006, s. 2026, signed by Secretary Sonny Angara in March, bomb threats and jokes are classified as third-level offenses, the most severe category under the department's guidelines for maintaining a safe learning environment. Other offenses in this category include carrying firearms, drug possession, hazing, and homicide.
For a bomb threat or joke, a first offense results in non-readmission, meaning the student may complete the current school year but will not be allowed to enroll the following year. The student will also be referred to relevant agencies, including the PNP and the Social Welfare and Development Office. A second offense results in exclusion, leading to the student's immediate removal from the school's class list.
