Authorities on Saturday reminded air travelers to be wary of bomb pranks, and warned that making a bomb joke is punishable under Presidential Decree 1727 (Anti-Bomb Joke Law).
The Manila International Airport Authority and flag carrier Philippine Airlines made the reminder on the heels of an incident involving Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives Party-list Rep. Sergio Dagooc, who was briefly held at the airport for allegedly making a bomb joke while checking in for his flight.
PAL management expressed disappointment over the incident and the decision of the Police Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) to release Dagooc hours after he was placed under police custody.
According to PAL Corporate Communications Department chief and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna, the airline endorsed the filing of a complaint against Dagooc following the incident last Thursday.
“PAL filed the complaint to the PNP Aviation Security Group, which in turn, cited the prohibition in relation to Members of Congress while the House is in Session. Ergo, he was released,” said Villaluna.
Villaluna said Dagooc could be charged with violating Presidential Decree 1727, which punishes, among others, “malicious dissemination of false information knowing the same to be false.”
The PAL official said the airline management cautions the public against making bomb jokes, adding such action “results in grave inconvenience to the flight, its passengers and succeeding flight services.”
Under the law, anyone circulating a hoax or warning through email and text messages can be held criminally liable, as it constitutes a wilful dissemination of false information punishable by law.
Violators may face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of not more than P40,000, or both, at the discretion of the court. The perpetrator of the hoax could also be charged with unlawful rumor mongering, and even those who apologize for circulating the hoax can still be held liable.
Villaluna said Dagooc checked in for his 3:50 p.m. PR-2525 flight for Cagayan de Oro on July 25.
“When the PAL check-in agent asked Congressman Dagooc regarding the contents of his luggage, he replied ‘clothes’ and was eventually asked what else is inside, to which he replied, ‘bomba (bomb),’” she said.
But Dagooc claimed he did not crack a bomb joke. “What I said was ‘money bands,’ but the woman at the counter heard it as bomb.”
In a statement, the PAL management appealed to all passengers to refrain from uttering statements “which may cause undue concern, alarm and panic,” and to comply with national laws and regulations that strictly prohibit similar comments at airports and aviation facilities.
“PAL, the PNP Aviation Security Group and our civil aviation authorities do not take such utterances lightly, as the safety and security of our passengers are of paramount importance at all times,” it stated.
Dagooc was the second party-list congressman involved in a controversy at the airport.
Late last year, then-ACTS-OFW Party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz was caught on a viral video showing him not following the screening procedure at the NAIA Terminal 2.
Bertiz ignored the airport policy when he was asked to remove his shoes by a screening officer manning the final security check before his flight to Cebu.
He was also caught on video flashing his airport access pass and snatched the Identification card of the duty screening officer identified as Hamilton Abdul at the height of their argument.
Bertiz, who came under fire and subjected for investigation by Congress for alleged unethical behavior and conduct unbecoming of a public official, apologized for the incident. The lawmaker likened his behavior “to a woman going through the pre-menstrual syndrome.”
MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal reminds the riding public to comply with security measures implemented at airports and other transport facilities.
“It is just part of a security measures to protect our passengers, the facilities and of course the airport users,” he said.
Monreal ordered his key officials to put in place heightened security measures and emphasized that public safety is the topmost priority of the administration.
The airport chief stressed the need for consistent visibility of security personnel in airport facilities to prevent untoward incidents and to deter lawless elements from conducting activities detrimental to passengers.