By CESAR JOLITO III

Classes were suspended at Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School (DMLMHS) in Negros Occidental’s Silay City after a bomb threat prompted an immediate evacuation and a full sweep by authorities yesterday morning, December 9.

No explosive device was found.

According to DMLMHS Principal Dr. Warlito Rosareal, the school first received a phone call at around 10:00 a.m. through its records section.

The caller, believed to be a woman, initially asked whether the number she had dialed belonged to the principal’s office.

Moments later, police said, the same caller contacted the principal’s office directly through the school.

The caller claimed that a bomb had been left at the guardhouse.

The alarming message triggered the school’s emergency protocol.

Classes were halted, and students and staff were safely evacuated.

Silay police coordinated with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to conduct a thorough inspection of the campus.

After clearing all areas, the EOD confirmed that no explosive device was found.

Rosareal expressed relief over the negative result but emphasized that safety procedures were followed strictly.

“We are thankful that the school was cleared. The welfare of our students and personnel remains our top priority,” Rosareal said.

Meanwhile, Silay police chief Lt. Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca said investigators are now working with a telecommunications company to trace the number used by the caller.

He stressed that issuing a bomb threat — commonly referred to as a “bomb joke” — is a criminal offense.

“We will pursue the identity of the caller. Threats like these cause fear and disrupt public safety, and the law treats them seriously,” Darroca said.

Police remind the public that prank threats not only cause panic but also waste government resources, and perpetrators face penalties under the law./CJ, WDJ