A CALL from the Australian Embassy threw authorities in a frenzy yesterday morning after they asked if a bomb had exploded in Cebu City yesterday.
The report was not confirmed however, and police and disaster officials assured that Cebu remains safe.
They are also urging the public to make sure they verify information with the proper agencies before forwarding alarming text messages to their friends and family members.
At past 10 a.m. yesterday, Neil Sanchez, operations officer of the Office of Civil Defense, received a text message from the National Disaster Coordinating Council operations center asking him about an explosion in Cebu.
Calls
He was told it was the Australian Embassy that called up their office about it.
Since he did not hear of it, he informed the Regional Operations and Plans Division (ROPD) of the Police Regional Office 7.
He got a second call from the National Intelligence Coordinating Authority (NICA) asking him about the same thing.
ROPD Chief Mariano Natuel said he asked Supt. Pablo Labra II, who was at the Cebu City Hall where the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council is stationed, and Labra told him there was no such incident.
Regional Chief of Staff Arnulfo Perez urged the public to beware of text messages circulating in public “that sow panic among our populace.”
Pranksters
He said these should be verified before being sent to other people.
The explosion that rocked the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City could also have triggered the rumors, Perez said.
“What I am categorically saying is as of this time, no bombing has happened in Cebu City,” Perez said.
He said that after the Glo-rietta explosion, National Capital Regional Police Office Director Geary Barias said all reports should be verified before being released to the media.
“Maybe this is the handiwork of pranksters,” Perez said.
OCD executive officer Rosario Cabrera said the first thing they did was coordinate with their counterparts in the CCDCC and other intelligence agencies. They also asked their acquaintances from the media, saying the media usually get wind of such incidents first.
“We are happy that no such incident occurred,” Cabrera said.
As for travel advisories issued by foreign governments, Perez said it was normal for embassies to advice caution among their citizens.
The Australian and Canadian embassies advise “a high degree of caution” when traveling to the Philippines following the Glorietta explosion, saying “investigations are ongoing but the possibility of a terrorist bomb attack cannot be discounted.”
The United Kingdom is advising its citizens against travel to Min-danao and the Sulu archipelago.
While it did not mention other parts of the country, the advisory noted the explosion in Glorietta and that there is an existing threat of terrorism in the Philippines. Perez assured, though, that their intelligence efforts have yielded no reports of a possible threat to Cebu.
Full alert
Following the explosion at the Glorietta Mall, Perez said he ordered the Regional Intelligence Division to field plainclothes operatives to business establishments to check if the security measures they were practicing matched the PNP has been asking them to do.
He added that the operatives were ordered to give on-the-spot commentaries and corrections if they see some things done incorrectly.
Central Visayas is still on full alert as all units have been directed to conduct “proactive measures to secure critical infrastructure and places of convergence.”
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is also urging all units to maximize the involvement of private security guards in target-hardening measures.
In a memorandum sent to all police offices, the PRO 7 urged commanders to direct private security officers to “develop security consciousness and to remain alert and vigilant at all times.”
They also want to strengthen the participation and involvement of barangay tanods and communication groups. (MEA)
