Members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) arrested the suspect behind the bomb scare that disrupted classes in a school in Cubao, Quezon City on Thursday, Jan. 26.
Lt. Col. Joseph Almaquer, QCPD Cubao Station chief, identified the suspect as Elfrank Emil Anthony Kadusale, 22, a resident of Quezon City.
Police reported that on Thursday morning, a teacher saw on the Messenger of the Ponciano Bernardo High School Facebook page a message from one Bob Key Ser Panganiban, saying he had planted a bomb stuffed in a black bag near a comfort room of the school.
The suspect demanded P100,000 in cash so he would not detonate the bomb. This prompted the school administration to conduct a search before reporting the matter to the police.
Responding members of the QCPD Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit immediately conducted an inspection in the school premises and declared that the area was safe from any explosives.
In a press conference on Friday, Jan. 27, QCPD Director Nicolas Torre III said that they were able to identify the owner of the Facebook account who allegedly created the post. He is a Grade 8 Alternative Learning System (ALS) student in Ponciano Elemenetary School. They invited him to the barangay hall of San Martin De Porres for questioning.
The police director added that the minor, the suspect’s classmate, denied that he is the one who issued the bomb threat but he remembered that he once logged in to his Facebook account using Kadusale’s cellphone. He then texted the suspect to come to the barangay hall.
Kadusale went to the barangay hall where the cops checked his cellphone for verification. He was arrested at around 2 p.m. on the Thursday after the minor confirmed that his account was used to issue the bomb threat
The suspect will be charged for violations of Presidential Decree 1727 (Anti-Bomb Joke Law), Section 6 of Republic Act 10175 or the Anti-Cyber Crime Law, and robbery extortion, police said.
On Friday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte issued a stern warning against the persons behind the bomb threats in schools in the city.
The New Era Elementary School, Emilio Jacinto National High School, San Francisco High School and Ponciano Bernardo High School recently received bomb threats.
Torre III said they are coordinating with the schools, the local government, and stakeholders with regards to the incidents for security.
“Sa ngayon, ini-intensify natin ang coordination at nakikita nga natin ang partnership ng eskwelahan at ng police sa latest case na ifinile natin laban sa nahuli nating gumawa ng bomb threat na isa lang naman joke pala. Joke lang to pero, joke ito sa kanya, pero napakalaking naging epekto, mabigat din ang parusa (Right now, we are intensifying the coordination and we are seeing the partnership between the school and the police in the latest case that we filed against the person who made the bomb threat, which turned out to be just a joke. It's just a joke for him, but it has a serious effect and severe punishment),” the police chief said.
He added that since the threat was made against a school, the suspect may face charges under the anti-terrorism law.
The police director urged those who were behind the recent bomb scares in the schools to surrender to the police before they issue search warrants to their houses.
Read more: Mayor Joy: QC gov’t to go after bomb pranksters, Classes canceled in QC school due to bomb threat