POEA bomb threat a hoax, authorities say

The bomb threat that triggered an evacuation at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) building turned out to be a hoax, after authorities found no explosives during the search that was conducted throughout the building Tuesday morning. Radio dzBB reported that bomb experts who searched the six-story POEA building said their paneling operation turned up negative. With this development, authorities have started tracing the telephone number of the caller who informed the Interior department's "117" hotline about the supposed bomb threat. They said the call came in at about 8 a.m. Two text messages about the supposed bomb followed minutes later. Earlier, POEA administrator Rosalinda Baldoz said they received a call from the Interior department's "117" hotline informing them of a supposed bomb threat. The POEA building was relatively "full" as of 9 a.m., as several employees had already reported for work. People were also there for normal daily transactions. Baldoz said she ordered the heads of the anti-illegal recruitment and administrative services units, along with her chief of staff and legal counsel, to coordinate with police and bomb squads. The exodus of persons from the six-story POEA building disrupted traffic along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Ortigas Avenue. On the other hand, motorists from Greenhills going to the southbound part of EDSA were particularly affected as bystanders in the area blocked traffic while trying to watch the "action." The POEA is situated across the EDSA Shrine, which police placed under heavy guard for possible lightning demonstrations. - GMANews.TV