Cybercrime cops nab suspected bomb threat sender

For the first time since the unit was formed five years ago, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) has nabbed its first bomb threat sender.

Unfortunately for Janette Tulagan, the cybercrime unit was able to trace to her IP (internet protocol) address—and eventually to her cell-phone number—a bomb threat sent to various airline companies on July 12.

Tulagan was arrested by ACG operatives at 3:40 p.m. on Friday.

The bomb threat, made by someone who claimed to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group, was sent from the e-mail address [email protected].

‘Bomb on board’

It read: “Allah hu akbar! All flights Manila to Kuala Lumpur will have a bomb on board on July 13.”

An airline, which declined to be identified, reported the message to the ACG, said the unit’s spokesperson, Chief Insp. Artemio Cinco.

“Every time [the airlines] received a threat, they had to adjust security measures,” he said.

Cinco said the ACG had already arrested Tulagan by virtue of a warrant of arrest, issued by a Parañaque court, for violation of the bouncing checks law.

Having already identified Tulagan and armed with a search warrant, ACG agents searched her house at Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, on Friday.

The search yielded Tulagan’s cell phone, which still used the prepaid number and IP address associated with the bomb threat e-mail. —JAYMEE T. GAMIL