Bomb scares hit 2 Mapua campuses

MANILA, Philippines — Classes at Mapua University’s Manila and Makati campuses were disrupted yesterday after receiving bomb threats that turned out to be hoaxes.

The university suspended classes at both campuses, but added in an advisory that yesterday “will be considered as a digital day. All classes will be conducted online.” 

At its Manila campus, school officials sought police assistance after two students claimed they received text messages at around 9:22 a.m. that a bomb was set to explode.

At the Makati campus, the student discipline secretary said they received a text message from an unknown number stating that the university will be bombed within three hours.

No bombs were found in either campus.

At almost the same time last year, Mapua, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, University of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University, National Teacher’s College (NTC) and the Lyceum of the Philippines University also received bomb threats.

An 18-year-old NTC coed who was arrested said “toxic exam week” made her warn her school about a bomb explosion.

The Manila Police District said its investigators are looking into the possibility that some students who did not want to take the exams were behind the hoax.