THE memorandum circulating on social media directing intelligence units nationwide to intensify risk assessment efforts about a bomb threat in a known mall is a hoax.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas Director Noli Taliño said that police have not monitored a terrorist threat in Central Visayas.
“We’re going to check where that came from. For now, there are no threats here. Even our intelligence officers have not received that memo,” Taliño said.
The memo directed police units for the “intensification of intelligence gathering and conduct of risk and threat assessment in coordination with the intelligence community to preempt any enemy/terrorist attack/harassment,” in their areas.
It attached the text of an alleged threat from the Abu Sayyaf rebel group asking the SM Supermalls for P15 million for them not to bomb the malls.
Taliño said the message shouldn’t be spread in social media especially if it’s not verified.
“Don’t share it immediately because it orchestrates alarm. You should verify it first,” he said.