Bomb scare alarms Iloilo town

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A PACKAGE mistaken for a bomb caused alarm in the town of Cabatuan, Iloilo Wednesday afternoon.

S/Insp. Alejandro Apostol, Cabatuan police chief, said the red luggage came from Manila via a roll on-roll off (RO-RO) bus and was left in the bus terminal in the town proper.

Witnesses in the terminal said an unidentified bus conductor left the bag on the street sans proper endorsement.

Passengers and terminal personnel then called the police after noticing that nobody claimed the bag lying on the street.

Apostol said they went to the terminal to check the luggage. They were surprised after they saw a note inside the package saying: “Oops… Reminder, do not try to open this. Granada inside. Hehehe.”

Apostol said they immediately cordoned the area and called bomb experts from the Iloilo Provincial Police Office after discovering the “bomb note.”

The police also re-routed vehicular traffic away from the area per advice of the IPPO Explosive and Ordnance Team.

The package was sent by Melba Lagunday from Manila to his mother Mejelita Lagunday of Brgy. Buntalan, Maasin.

Mejelita said the bag contained clothes and books, not grenades.

The note was intended to prevent anybody from opening a pack of chocolates inside the package.

“She just wanted to scare those who want to steal from the bag. There was no intention to hurt or cause alarm. I’ve been waiting for this bag for hours already,” Mejelita said.

Mejelita also blamed the conductor for leaving the bag without properly endorsing it to the terminal.

The situation returned to normal after the police retrieved the bag and cleared the area.