St. Paul Pasig suspends classes due to bomb scare

(Updated 3:18 p.m.) Classes in St. Paul College in Pasig were suspended Thursday following a bomb threat received from an anonymous texter.

"This morning the school received a text message of a bomb threat from an anonymous sender. After deliberation of the crisis committee, the school decided to send the students and employees home as a precautionary measure to ensure their complete safety," the school said in a statement on its Facebook page.

A radio report by dzBB's Rodil Vega said the Pasig Police are now investigating the origin of the text message.

UPDATE: Pinanggalingan ng text message na naglalaman ng bomb threat sa St. Paul College Pasig, iniimbestigahan na.

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 27, 2014

In a text message sent to the parents of the students, the school's administration said, “For the safety of everyone, we are sending your daughters home because of a threat received from an anonymous texter."

“The school security has searched the school grounds and did not find any suspicious item. But we still dismiss your daughters so they are all safe. We would like to ask for your prudence in attending to this matter,” it added.

A photo posted by dzBB's Vega on Twitter showed students waiting for their parents or guardians to fetch them.

Mga estudyante ng St. Paul College of Pasig, hinihintay na ang mga sundo nila matapos ang bomb scare. pic.twitter.com/p9FaeQAaNv| via @Rodveg72

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 27, 2014

Last February 12, Ateneo de Manila University suspended classes and office work due to an anonymous text message that said a bomb will explode in the campus.

According to the Guidon, ADMU's official student newspaper, the Quezon City Police District ruled the bomb threat a hoax after bomb experts, aided by bomb-sniffing dogs, searched the entire campus for hours.

Meanwhile, San Antonio Barangay Captain Joselito Dela Merced ordered its Security and Rescue Unit to deploy a motorcycle team to clear traffic to give way to parents rushing to fetch their kids, said security consultant Joseph Macatangay, who is also a parent of two St. Paul Pasig students.

A rescue ambulance was also on standby, he said.

As of 11:42 a.m., an updated dzBB report said the situation at the school had returned to normal.

"The campus is declared safe after a series of thorough searches has been done by the school security with the aid of Pasig City Police, members of the bomb squad, and K-9 units which received command from the Office of the Mayor," the school said in its statement.

Classes will resume Friday, February 28. — Patricia Denise Chiu with Amanda Fernandez/KBK, GMA News