WORK in four government agencies in Quezon City, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was momentarily stopped yesterday due to bomb threats.
No bomb was found by bomb disposal personnel at the DENR, which received the threat at around 8:55 a.m.; the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and the National Housing Authority (NHA).
The Quezon City Police District said the threat was made by one Takahiro Karasawa, allegedly a Japanese lawyer who figured in similar bomb threats in the past.
“A certain Takahiro Karasawa was also the one responsible for a bomb threat at MRT (Metro Rail Transit) Kamuning Station last September 2023,” the QCPD said in a statement.
Last December, Karasawa also made bomb threats at the Department of Budget and Management, National Economic Development Authority, National Museum, Department of Labor and Employment; and at the Pangil Elementary School in Pangil, Laguna.
Personnel from the QCPD’s Station 5 and an Explosive and Ordnance Disposal team were promptly sent to the DENR office.
“Upon conducting paneling operations and thorough inspections, the results yielded negative and no signs of any bombs or any improvised explosive device were found thereat,” the QCPD said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region (BFP-NCR) said the bomb threat was received by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau through e-mail.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the bomb threats, adding those behind the threats should be arrested and brought to the bar of justice.
“There should be no place for pranks or spreading fear among our people,” Remulla told reporters.
“Let this be a warning to those behind this that we will not tolerate such acts and we will go after you with the full extent of the law,” he added.
Authorities said Karasawa threatened that the bombs would go off in major government agencies at approximately 3:34 p.m. — With Ashzel Hachero