The Police Regional Office in Region 3 (PRO 3) reported the arrest of an 18-year-old man allegedly behind a series of online bomb threats targeting several public and private schools in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.
The suspect was apprehended at about 6:29 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Barangay Hilera, Jaen, Nueva Ecija, by the San Ildefonso Municipal Police Station of the Bulacan Police Provincial Office (PPO), in coordination with the police stations of Talavera and Jaen, under the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO).
The operation stemmed from bomb threats posted online, which were discovered on July 20 and 21, 2026, causing concern among students, parents, school officials, and the community.
Acting on the reports, investigators immediately launched a follow-up operation.
The suspect was arrested for alleged violation of Presidential Decree No. 1727 (Anti-Bomb Joke Law) and Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Police recovered during the operation a cellular phone, believed to have been used in the commission of the offense.
The suspect and the recovered evidence were brought to the San Ildefonso Municipal Police Station.
The seized mobile phone will undergo technical and forensic examination by the Provincial Anti-Cybercrime Unit as part of the ongoing case build-up.
Police Regional Office 3 Director PBGEN Jess B. Mendez commended the operating personnel for their swift response, emphasizing that bomb threats are never harmless and will always be treated with utmost seriousness.
"Hindi biro ang bomb threat. Isang post lang online puwedeng magdulot ng takot, pagkaantala ng klase, at malaking deployment ng police at emergency responders. Kaya sa PRO3, we treat every bomb threat as real hanggang mapatunayan na hindi ito totoo. Sa mga nag-iisip na gawin ito bilang prank o para mag-viral, tandaan ninyo—may kaakibat itong pananagutang kriminal," PBGEN Mendez said.
The Police Regional Office 3, under the directive of Brigadier General Jess Mendez, called on parents and schools to promote the responsible use of social media.
The police official urged the public to report online threats and suspicious activities to the nearest police station.