By Iza Camposo
The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research (VPAAR) Dr. Lily Ann Bautista said communication lapses in university offices delayed immediate response to the bomb threat email sent last July 6.
The SU Information and Communications (SU-ICT) Division received the email at 10:00 a.m., and forwarded it to the Office of the President nearly eight hours later at 5:44 p.m.
“We do realize that gap in the communication because it was received at 10:00am […] They would have to really institute a better way to make sure that all emails are received,” Bautista said.
Meanwhile, Channon Hall Dormitory President Moon Jewel Christienne Mayormita said they were informed to evacuate at 5:59 p.m.by the Public Assistance and Security Office.
“They were advised to vacate the ballfield at around 7 p.m. and were advised to stay in the Larena-Doltz cafeteria,” she said.
Mayormita also said the remaining residents returned to Channon Hall at about 9:43 p.m., after authorities completed the security sweep.
“Personally, the way the information reached us was timely naman and I hope na it stays that way, especially na these stuff are very life threatening,” she said.
An emergency meeting with SU senior administrators was held on July 7 to discuss the timeliness of the response and ways to address the communication delay.
The VPAAR said that the University’s senior management committee plans to institutionalize a disaster risk manual for the prevention of threats on campus.
“The senior management committee will make sure that that manual really gets complied with, and for people to know what they need to do in cases of these types of situations,” she said.
Bautista said the manual will also cover risk management for natural disasters, fire, and medical emergencies.
No explosive devices were found on campus after a security sweep conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine Army, according to Bautista.
Moreover, Bautista said the University aims to work with the PNP and Google to investigate the source of the bomb threat email.
“[SU-ICT] has the information that Google needs. And then, they forwarded that to I think PNP and then our police would be the one to request it from Google, for there’s cybercrime,” she said.
As of writing, the Weekly SIllimanian has yet to receive a response from SU-ICT.
