A foreign male passenger at Dipolog Airport is currently in the custody of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) after making a bomb joke.
According to a report from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Area Center 9, the incident involved a male passenger and his wife who were set to board flight PR2558 bound for Manila.
When asked by airline staff about the contents of his check-in baggage, the passenger initially responded, “No! Just Atomic Bomb,” before quickly retracting his statement and clarifying, “I was only joking.”
The airline staff took the comment seriously and reported the incident to security. The passenger, when questioned by security personnel, stated that his luggage contained only personal items and apologized for his earlier remark.
The Station Head temporarily suspended their check-in process and baggage handling to notify the PNP-AVSEGROUP of the incident.
Edwin Luching, Area Manager of Center 9, stated that the foreign passenger and his wife were taken into custody by the PNP-AVSEGROUP and did not proceed with their trip.
“A bomb joke is not a joke. It not only inconveniences passengers but also disrupts airline and airport operations. Such actions can lead to travel disruptions and legal consequences,” said Luching.
Under Presidential Decree No. 1727, bomb jokes are punishable by imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to forty thousand pesos (P40,000.00).
