Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House Bill No._ 622

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In recent months, the Philippines has seen a troubling rise in bomb threats,
disrupting public order and safety. These threats have primarily targeted schools,
universities, and government offices, often sent via email or text messaging. The
most recent wave occurred in February 2025, leading to the suspension of classes
and work in various locations including Bataan, Zambales, and Metro Manila‘
According to media reports, these threats were traced to the same individual
responsible for similar incidents in September and October 20242.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has confirmed that these threats have not
only affected the Philippines but have extended to neighboring countries.
Investigations revealed that the threats originated from a Japanese national—
Takahiro Karasawa, a lawyer—who used electronic mail to transmit these
messages’.

Utilizing digital platforms to disseminate false bomb threats is not unprecedented.
In a 2018 case, a flight attendant impersonated a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group
and sent bomb threats to multipie airline companies via email, causing widespread
panic and operational delays*

This proposed measure seeks to establish a stricter legal framework and more
comprehensive protocols for apprehending individuals who engage in the wilful
and malicious dissemination of false bomb threats.

False bomb threats do not merely cause alarm; they divert essential resources and
interrupt the delivery of critical public services. Schools, transportation hubs,
businesses, and government offices are forced into emergency responses,
resulting in lost productivity and public anxiety. Moreover, these incidents
undermine confidence in national security.

By imposing more severe penalties and enhancing legal safeguards through this
proposed legislation, the government sends a clear message: public safety cannot
and will not be taken lightly. We must eliminate the dangerous notion that bomb
threats are trivial or prank-worthy. The lives and welfare of our citizens, as well as

2 “Bomb Threats Disrupt Classes, Gov't Operations in Luzon,” Philippine Daily inquirer, February 2025.
2 “Repeat Offender Behind Government Bomb Scare Identified,” Philippine Star, October 2024.

$ slapanese Lawyer Linked to ASEAN Bomb Threats ~ PNP,” Manila Bulletin, March 2025

light Attendant Nabbed Over Email Bomb Threats,” Rappler, July 2018,



the stability of our institutions, demand protection from such acts of terror and
misinformation.

In addition, responding to these threats consumes vast financial and human
resources. Law enforcement units, bomb disposal teams, and emergency
responders must be mobilized—often at great cost—for what turn out to be false
alarms. The enactment of this law will ensure these resources are preserved for
genuine crises and emergencies.

While Presidential Decree No. 1727, issued in 1980, already penalizes the
malicious dissemination of false bomb threats, it is clear that the law has not kept
pace with technological developments. The shift from anonymous phone calls to
sophisticated digital threats demands that we adapt our legal tools accordingly

Without a more robust and modern legal framework, perpetrators may continue to
evade justice. This proposed Anti-False Bomb Threat Act aims to update and
strengthen our legal system to hold offenders accountable, deter future incidents,
and ultimately ensure that the safety and peace of our munities are preserved.

M. ROMUALDO


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 622

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE DISSEMINATION OF FALSE INFORMATION ON BOMB
THREATS, EXPLOSIVES, OR ANY OTHER LIFE-THREATENING OR
DESTRUCTIVE MATERIALS AND PROVIDIING PENALTIES THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:
SECTION 1: Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Bomb Joke Act.”

SEC. 2 Declaration of Policy. - The state is committed to safeguarding its citizens from the
dissemination of false information pertaining to bomb threats, explosives, and other life-
threatening or destructive materials that pose risks to life and property. This policy underscores
the imperative of undertaking comprehensive measures to mitigate the harmful impact of such

misinformation and threats on public safety and well-being.

SEC 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:
a. Bomb refers to a container filled with explosive, incendiary material, smoke, gas, or other
destructive substance, designed to explode. It can appear obvious or concealed and can
vary in size, shape or sophistication and may not necessarily explode such as in the case of
incendiary and dirty bombs or other such devices. It may be referred to as Improvised

Explosives Device (IED) or ordinance;

b. Explosive refers to any material that causes a sudden, almost instantaneous, release of gas,
heat, and pressure, accompanied by a loud noise when subjected to a certain amount shock

pressure, or temperature;

¢. High density areas refer to areas which are regularly populated with people, including
public spaces like public parks, airport, seaports, hotels, and malls or where people are

gathered for event;


d. Incendiary device refers to a weapon designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment
using fire that uses materials such as napalm, thermite, magnesium poser, chlorine

trifluoride, or white phosphorus;

e. Life-threatening or destructive materials refers to any matter or substance that is capable
of causing death, including an explosive; incendiary device: poison gas; mine; grenade; a
rocket having a propellant charge of more than four (4) ounces; a missile having an
explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce; any type of weapon, other
than a shotgun or shotgun shell, by whatever name known which will, or which may be
readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant,
and which has any barrel with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter; or any
combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into
destructive device described above and from which a destructive device may be readily

assembled; and,

£, Sensitive areas refer to those which are subject to high-risk upon violation of this Act
because of the magnitude of the resulting consequences such as possible losses in
productivity, resources, and religious value, notwithstanding the number of people present
therein, including educational institutions, offices, government institutions, hospitals, and

churches and other place of worship.

SEC 4. Prohibition. — Any person who, by word of mouth or through the use of mail, electronic
mail, telephone, cellular phone, fax machine, telegraph, printed materials, video recording, social
media, and other instrument or means of communication, makes any threat or conveys,
communicates, transmits, imparts, passes on, or otherwise disseminates false information,
knowing the same to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made to kill, injure,
or intimidate any individual or group or to unlawfully damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or
other real or personal property, by means of explosives, incendiary devices, and other destructive
forces of similar nature or characteristics, shall be penalized as prescribed in Section 6 hereof.

SEC 5. Apprehension. ~ Perpetrators shall be apprehended immediately by the security or

authorized personnel of the affected establishments who initially responded to the incident or who

were physically present at the commission of the prohibited acts in the Section 4 of this Act.

The authorized persons of these establishments shall exercise due diligence and care not to
create any further commotion, threat to lives and damage to property. They shall subsequently
report and turn over to the local police authorities the apprehended persons for further investigation
and the filing or appropriate legal actions pursued against these individuals or group of violators

in accordance with this Act; or


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‘The commission of crimes under this Act usually transpire in highly populated locations and
establishments where damage will be of substantial impact and timeliness of the apprehension is
a necessary precaution to avoid significant outcomes. The court rule on issuance of Arrest, Search
and Seizure Order (ASSO) under this Act will not apply. However, apprehending persons,
arresting or investigating police officers and other authorized government authorities shall exercise

due process in handling these alleged perpetrators.

The perpetrator will not be eligible for bail pending trial by the Metropolitan Trial Courts,

Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts.

SEC 6. Penalties. — (a) Any person who violates this Act shall be subject to imprisonment of
not more than two (2) years or a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00),
or both, at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction over the offense herein defined and

penalized;

(b) If the violation of this Act is directed at high density areas or sensitive areas and causes the
evacuation of a dwelling, building, place of assembly, facility, including public transportation,
aircraft, ship, and other common carriers, or the stoppage, cancellation or disruption of any kind
of service to the public, or results to death or deaths in relation to the chaos created herein, or losses
in the productivity and resources, the penalty shall be imprisonment of not more than six (6) years
ora fine not exceeding Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court

having jurisdiction over the offense herein defined and penalized.

‘The foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other liabilities under the

Revised Penal Code or any special law, arising out of, or on occasion of the herein prohibited act.

SEC 7. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional,

the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SEC 8. Repealing Clause. — Presidential Decree No. 1727, otherwise known as “Declaring as
Unlawful the Malicious Dissemination of False Information of the Willful Making of Any Threat
Concerning Bombs, Explosive or Any Similar Device or Means of Destruction and Imposing
Penalties Therefor”, is hereby repealed. Al! other laws, executive orders, proclamations, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to this Act are hereby repealed or

modified accordingly.

SEC 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the

Official Gazzatte or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.