PAL Express Passenger Charged for Cracking Bomb Joke
A 56-year-old passenger bound for Butuan City aboard a Philippine Airlines flight was arrested on Friday, July 12 at Ninoy Aquino Terminal 3 after making bomb jokes while boarding the aircraft.
Bernabe Cuello Jr, a barangay chair in San Pablo City, Laguna, was arrested by the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group following his comments during boarding of PAL Express Flight 2P-967. According to investigators, the boarding officer at the air bridge alerted the pilot after the passenger was overheard by staff and other passengers as stating, "Maybe there are no people below, someone might put a bomb on the tires."
Captain Richard Sorolla opted to abort the 6:20am departure and called police to have Cuello removed from the aircraft. The aircraft was then subjected to routine operating procedures which involved an inspection of the entire aircraft by air safety authorities using canine units and explosive detecting gadgets. Passengers and crew were forced to deplane while cargo and baggage was unloaded.
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| Copyright Photo: Angelo Agcamaran/PPSG |
Bernabe Cuello Jr, a barangay chair in San Pablo City, Laguna, was arrested by the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group following his comments during boarding of PAL Express Flight 2P-967. According to investigators, the boarding officer at the air bridge alerted the pilot after the passenger was overheard by staff and other passengers as stating, "Maybe there are no people below, someone might put a bomb on the tires."
Captain Richard Sorolla opted to abort the 6:20am departure and called police to have Cuello removed from the aircraft. The aircraft was then subjected to routine operating procedures which involved an inspection of the entire aircraft by air safety authorities using canine units and explosive detecting gadgets. Passengers and crew were forced to deplane while cargo and baggage was unloaded.
No explosive devices were found and the flight later departed NAIA approximately three hours later. Cuello is now facing charges for "malicious dissemination of false information or the wilful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar decide or means of destruction." In other words, he violated the "Anti-Bomb Joke Law." The violation is not limited to "bomb jokes" made in airlines or airports and the charge is punishable with up to five years in jail and/or fines not exceeding P40,000 at the discretion of the court.
Aviation security measures have been strictly enforced in the country since 1999 following the aftermath of various terror attacks overseas carried out using aircraft. Character actor Jay Manalo is just one of the high profile personalities that have found themselves charged for cracking bomb jokes.
I THINK THE GUY WAS JUST CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND TAKING CARE OF THE VICINITY. COZ ALL THE GROUND CREW WERE BUSY TAKING PIX W/ THE CELEBS BOARDING THE PLANE.
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