Woman gets jail over bomb joke at Davao airport

By Joel E. Zurbano

POLICE and airport operatives have arrested a female passenger for cracking a bomb joke while boarding a Manilabound Cebu Pacific Air plane Sunday night at the Davao International Airport.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City council is set to pass an ordinance that would penalize bomb jokes, including those made through social media.

Police Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) personnel apprehended

Annabelle Macose, 59, a resident of Pangasinan, after one of the Cebu Pacific Air customers service staff complained about her bomb prank.

Macose reportedly told the joke to one of the airline’s flight crew.

PNP Avsegroup chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin said all passengers of Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-978 disembarked the plane to give way to the conduct of clearing inspection.

“But operatives of the explosive ordnance and K9 units “declared all baggage of outbound passengers cleared of any incendiary materials or devices,” he said.

Aberin commended the quick response of his men to the incident. He appealed and reminded passengers to refrain from making bomb jokes because it causes alarm and panic to the riding public.

“The Avsegroup along with airlines operators and airport authorities will not take this joke lightly. I sternly warn those who still do not understand the effect of bomb jokes to refrain from doing it. Otherwise they will face the consequences of their action as we will strictly enforce laws and regulations in the interest of public safety,” said Aberin.

PRECIOUS FUEL.

A fuel truck worker refills his gasoline containers from an underground storage tank at a station in Tondo, Manila, on Monday. Pump prices of petroleum products are going up this week, the third straight week of increases so far this year.

Norman Cruz