13-2-2024 (MANILA) Bomb threats delivered via text and email to various government agencies on Monday were not limited to the Philippines; similar incidents occurred concurrently in other nations. According to numerous media outlets, the threats, purportedly originating from a Japanese lawyer named Takahiro Karasawa of the “Steadiness Law Office,” targeted government offices in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Reports from Malaysian media indicated that the threats were received by government establishments and the police headquarters in Johor Bahru during the morning, coinciding with the timing of the threats received by government agencies and offices in the Philippines.
The emails, bearing Karasawa’s name, contained explicit bomb threats, specifying the intended buildings for potential explosions.
Interestingly, a comparable threat under the same name surfaced in South Korea targeting government agencies back in 2023. Moreover, the individual claiming to be Karasawa previously sent a bomb threat to the management of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 in September 2023, triggering an extensive investigation by the Department of Transportation.
In a report by Korea Times in 2023, the real Japanese lawyer Takahiro Karasawa denied any involvement in the threats, asserting that his name had been exploited for criminal activities and spreading terror.
The Cybercrime Coordination and Investigation Center disclosed that 28 government agencies in Metro Manila received the bomb threats. Following a comprehensive investigation on Monday, the Philippine National Police confirmed that the bomb scare was a hoax.
In response, the National Bureau of Investigation announced its initiation of an investigation into the bomb threats, in collaboration with Japanese law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) declared its intent to execute hold and blacklist orders or arrest warrants against the aforementioned Japanese national. However, the agency clarified that the alleged Japanese citizen with “four namesakes” is not currently within the country.
“The national government is not taking this lightly…any security threat shall be met with the harshest penalties of the law,” stated Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco in a press release issued by the BI.
Perpetrators of false bomb threats can be prosecuted under Presidential Decree 1727, which stipulates penalties of up to five years imprisonment, a fine of P40,000, or both, for anyone found guilty of making or spreading false bomb information with the intent to cause harm, intimidation, or property damage.
