Bomb threat hits DENR central office in QC

A bomb threat hit the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Quezon City on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. DENR employees were told to go home early as a bomb scare gripped the agency’s central office. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) employees were sent home early as the agency’s central office in Quezon City was hit with a bomb threat on Monday.

The DENR disclosed that the Explosive Ordinance Division (EOD) of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the bomb scare.

“As of now, our employees have already gone home,” it said in a message to reporters.

READ: Bomb threat disrupts classes at San Francisco High School in QC

QCPD said in a statement that its EOD team responded to the DENR central office, which is located along Visayas Avenue, as early as 8:55 a.m. while the Bureau of Fire Protection arrived at the scene at 11:30 a.m.

“Upon conducting paneling operations and thorough inspections, the results yielded negative and no signs of any bombs or any Improvised Explosive Device was found thereat,” QCPD revealed.

QCPD said the reported bomb threat was attributed to an alleged Japanese lawyer, Takahiro Karasawa – the same name involved in a number of bomb threats logged on December 5, 2023.