DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Police Office reiterated on Wednesday, Jan. 21, its warning against making bomb threats, stressing that such acts carry penalties and possible imprisonment.

DCPO spokesperson Police Capt. Hazel Caballero warned the public of the penalties following a bomb threat at the Cabantian National High School in Buhangin District here on Wednesday morning.

“Spreading bomb threats has penalties. Somebody has already been jailed for that,” Caballero said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Caballero said police continue to remind the public, especially students and parents, that bomb threats are taken seriously and should not be used to disrupt classes or exams.

She added that such threats cause panic among the public and place unnecessary strain on police resources, as authorities must respond immediately to ensure public safety.

“These acts cause panic and inconvenience, and we do not take alerts for granted,” Caballero said. “Police already filed charges against those who made bomb threats earlier.”

For incidents involving minors, the DCPO spokesperson said they are coordinating with schools and social workers, as current options for penalizing minors are limited.

“We can only refer them to their school advisers and social workers, who can counsel them as of now. We are doing our best to ensure this does not happen again,” Caballero said.

Personnel of the Buhangin Police Station immediately responded to an alleged bomb threat reported at around 6:29 a.m.

According to the police, a Cabantian National High School teacher reported that a Grade 7 student received a threatening message via Facebook Messenger the night before.

Initial investigation identified the 12-year-old student who received the message at around 9 p.m. on Jan. 20 from an unknown sender using a profile name “Dumpni Jo.”

The message contained a threatening statement claiming there was a bomb inside the school and warning the recipient to follow instructions as “the clock is ticking.”

After arriving at school, the student reported the message to his classmates and to the Grade 7 level head, prompting school officials to alert the police.

Police personnel, in coordination with school authorities, immediately evacuated students to the Barangay Cabantian Gymnasium as a safety precaution.

The DCPO Explosive Ordnance Disposal-K9 Unit conducted a thorough inspection and paneling of the school premises. Verification yielded negative results.

Caballero said follow-up investigation is ongoing and the cellular phone involved will be turned over to the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 11 for digital forensic examination.

Authorities said they will do their best to identify the sender of the message and file appropriate charges against anyone found responsible for the bomb threat.