MANILA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- A bomb scare disrupted the operations of the office of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday afternoon after one of its staff received a bomb threat through a text message.
"Office of the Vice President (OVP) personnel were evacuated to a secured area of Robinsons Cybergate Plaza in Mandaluyong City immediately after a staff member reported receiving a text message containing a bomb threat," the OVP said in a statement.
The statement said that city police quickly dispatched its explosive ordnance disposal team to sweep the building thoroughly.
No explosive devices were found, and the OVP resumed operations at around 4 p.m. local time, it said.
The vice president has been out of the Philippines since mid-March, after she traveled to the Netherlands to look after her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was arrested on March 11 over a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
The OVP reminded the public of the dangers of hoax bomb threats, saying bomb threats "are a serious matter concerning public security and safety."
"The public is reminded that hoax bomb threats can endanger lives and are punishable by law," it said. ■