Makati office bomb threat a dud

A man who claimed to be a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel contacted the Metrobank office in Makati City to warn of an imminent explosion early morning Friday. The threat turned out to be a farce. Norberto Bustamante, Metrobank’s security officer-in-charge, said their Central Clearing Department received a text message past 2 a.m. saying a bomb would explode in 30 minutes. Bank officials immediately called the Makati police-Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) for assistance. After an hour of inspection by the elements of the police Explosives and Ordinance Division and bank security officers, no bomb was found. "The text message said there will be an explosion ... The sender identified himself as a leftist insurgent, a member of the New People's Army," said Supt. Marieto Valerio, Makati police chief. Authorities also alerted guards assigned at every floor of the 21-storey building to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Investigators were also looking into the possibility that the threat was made by former bank employees who were laid off. Director Vidal Querol, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, said the bomb threat was just one of the thousands of bomb threats the police regularly receive. He assured that they will respond to every bomb threat they will receive. "Napakahirap na baka magkatutuo Iba na yung andun ka respondehan, dala ang aso at kapag confident na tsaka i-declare na hoax," he told GMA News. Querol inspected last Tuesday vital points in Metro Manila after text messages spread that car bombs were going to be detonated in the metropolis.-GMANews.TV