Bomb threat disrupts classes at UI

By Erly C. Garcia

The main building of the University of Iloilo in Rizal Street, Iloilo City was cleared of students and personnel just about an hour after classes started yesterday morning following a bomb threat which turned out to be a hoax.

Ms. Clea Buaya, working student at the UI Graduate School received the first call coming from an unidentified woman who said that there was a bomb planted in the premises of the university.

The caller immediately put down the phone.

Similar bomb threats were also received by the university's Education and Nursing departments.

Police were then informed of the bomb threat.

Elements of the PNP's Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD) were immediately dispatched to check on the veracity of the threat.

Classes were immediately suspended as students were ordered to vacate the school premises.

Aided by bomb-sniffing dogs the police searched every nook of the university but no bomb was found.

Later the police declared the bomb threat as a hoax.

Retired police Carlito Españo, the univerity security officer, said the bomb threat could have been made by pranksters who merely wanted to sow terror in the university.

He said they are still investigating where the call came from as the phone units that received the calls did not have caller IDs.

It was learned that yesterday was the first day of the campaign period for the university's Student Repulic election on August 17, 2005.

Earlier, the Iloilo City Police Office tightened security at the Iloilo Chinese Commercial High Schol (ICCHS) following reports that a group of extortionists plan to victimize its principal.

Police personnel was also deployed outside the University of San Agustin after the reported death threats received by university president Fr. Manuel Vergara relative to the ongoing conflict between him and school's labor union.