Wednesday, April 02, 2008 Justice hall beefs up security after bomb hoax
AT THE three entrance points of the City Justice Hall are security personnel assigned to inspect bags of anyone who enters the building.
Security measures in the building were intensified following recent bomb threats received by employees of the City Prosecutor's Office, security personnel of the building said.
The Justice Hall houses the City Prosecutor's Office, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Baguio chapter office, mediation center, regional and municipal trial courts.
The March 26 bomb threat was not the first received by employees there.
A controversial bomb threat last year incidentally took place in one scheduled hearing of the bingo sa barangay.
The threat meantime was reported as a planned move to delay the hearing of a pending case. Eighteen cases were scheduled to be heard in two courts, at that time.
In an earlier report, the bomb threat call was first made at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 59. The call was made at about 8:20 a.m. Two more calls were later received at the City Prosecutor's Office.
Investigation conducted by the Baguio City Police Office Explosives and Ordnance Division revealed that the threat was a mere ploy to disrupt court proceedings.
Police still have to identify the caller although they said PLDT and Digitel have been asked to cooperate in the investigation because they have records of all calls occurring in Baguio. (RO/SB)
