THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Negros Island Region (NIR) has proposed the setting up of caller identification (ID) systems on telephones in malls, privately-owned companies, business establishments, and other areas of convergence to trace the identities of prank callers.
Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, acting regional director of PRO-NIR, said this on Wednesday, following the hoax bomb threat at Visayan Maritime Academy (VMA) Global College and Training Center Inc. at Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City Monday.
The threat came from a parent through a text message informing the school that a bomb will explode at the school campus, training center, and the new building that led to the suspension of classes.
Gumban said he will suggest to Mayor Evelio Leonardia to require such compliance among establishments when owners renew their business permits.
“This is a way to make sure that persons who make prank calls will be identified and be charged accordingly,” Gumban said.
Under Presidential Decree No. 1727 or the unlawful and malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of any threat concerning bombs or explosives, anybody who will jokingly spread false report on bombs will be penalized through imprisonment of not more than five years, or fined not more than P40,000 or both at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction over the offense.
Despite the recent threat, Gumban assured the people of Bacolod and the delegates and guests of the 2017 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit meetings this coming March that there is nothing to worry about in terms of security.
About 160 delegates are expected to attend the summit meetings in the city on March 14 to 16, and March 21 to 24.
Security measures in airports, sea ports, terminals, malls and other areas of convergence were well-planned and police forces are already in place for deployment, Gumban said.
We are ready for the Asean Summit, he added.