Bomb scare hits Manila anew

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Manila Police District-Explosives and Ordnance Division had their hands full yesterday after receiving a call that a bomb would explode inside a passenger bus in front of the Philpost office.

Police received a telephone call at 9 a.m., informing them that an explosive placed in a brown paper bag was left inside the TAZ bus plying the Manila-Cavite route.

Policemen immediately responded and took the bag out of the bus.

The bag contained wiring, antennae sand and a note instructing the driver to take the bus to Liwasang Bonifacio.

The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax.

The bus company said it has been receiving bomb threats.

Disgruntled or dismissed employees of the bus firm could be behind the bomb threats, police said.

Last Sunday, traffic was snarled along Recto Avenue and Divisoria after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) erroneously twitted an explosion at the Light Rail Transit-Recto station.

The report, however, turned out to be a false alarm.

MPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Robert Po said cases like these test the resolve and reaction time of their operatives.