By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Hall of Justice was evacuated yesterday morning following a bomb threat received by an employee over the phone. 

The Bacolod City Hall of Justice was evacuated yesterday morning after they received a bomb threat from an unidentified individual around 8:00 a.m. After two hours of searching, the BCPO-EOD declared the building negative of any explosives. (Mymy Alagaban photo)

Police Lt. Remant Benobo, team leader of the Bacolod City Police Office Explosives and Ordnance Disposal unit (BCPO-EOD), said at around 8:00 a.m. personnel from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) received a phone call from an unidentified man telling them that there is a bomb in the building’s third floor and that everyone should get out of the building.

Benobo said the people inside the building were immediately evacuated, and members of the BCPO-EOD responded to sweep the building for explosives.
Several personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation Bacolod field office, one of whom was trained in ordnance disposal, also arrived to help the police search.

After two hours of sifting through the area, the BCPO-EOD declared the building negative of any explosives and the Hall of Justice was allowed to resume normal operations.

Benobo said they have also started an investigation after they managed to get the mobile phone number of the caller./DGB, WDJ