A 19-YEAR-OLD resident of Oton, Iloilo, identified as Alias Jojo, surrendered to the Oton Municipal Police Station (MPS) on November 24, 2025, around 2 p.m. after investigators traced him as one of the suspects behind the series of bomb threat incidents in Iloilo Province.
Jojo reportedly sent a bomb threat to Oton National High School on November 21, 2025, using a Facebook Messenger account.
Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, provincial director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo), said the surrender resulted from the investigation conducted with the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 6 and other government security agencies.
“Ang pagsurender kag pag-ako sang isa ka suspetsado sa asud-asud nga bomb threat sa probinsya sang Iloilo ang resulta sang padayon kag maid-id nga imbistigasyon sang inyo mga atoridad,” he said. He added that the remaining suspects would soon be identified because “Ang ila mga cellphone numbers nga gin-gamit sa mga FB account para sa pagpadala sang mga pamahog ukon paglango-lango parte sa bomba, yara na sa kamot sang mga imbestigador.”
(The surrender and confession of a suspect in the bomb threat in Iloilo province is the result of the continuous and thorough investigation of your authorities. Their cellphone numbers used on FB accounts for sending threats or gossip about the bomb, are now in the hands of investigators.)
Investigators tracked Jojo after confirming that his cellphone number was linked to the Facebook account “Shay Nel Dela Cruz,” which was used to send a message claiming that five bombs were planted on the school grounds.
Because of the pressure of a possible arrest, Jojo surrendered to Police Lieutenant Colonel Ahlie V. Estember, chief of Oton MPS, accompanied by his father and sister. During the interview, he admitted to sending the bomb threat.
Jojo faces multiple criminal cases, including violations of Presidential Decree 1727, the Anti-Bomb Joke Law, in relation to Republic Act (RA) 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and possible charges under RA 7610.
Razalan said the remaining suspects will face “seryoso nga konsekwensya, labi na gid ang mga kaso nga kriminal, pareho sang gina-atubang ni Alias Jojo subong,” and stressed that the police “indi namon pagpasugtan ang mga buhat nga nagasabwag sang kahadlok kag nagaguba sang kalinong kag katawhayan sang aton pinalangga nga probinsya sang Iloilo.”
(Serious consequences, especially criminal cases, such as those faced by Alias Jojo now ... will not tolerate acts that spread fear and destroy the peace and order of our beloved province of Iloilo.)
Ippo said it remains committed to pursuing all individuals involved in the bomb threat incidents and ensuring public safety. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)