Aviation and airline officials on Thursday called on the public to be wary of bomb pranks and warned that making bomb joke is punishable by law.
On Thursday, flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced it will file a criminal complaint against a passenger of a PAL Manila-Cotabato flight who made a bomb joke while the aircraft was about to take off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.
The incident resulted in the flight delay of PAL Express flight 2P-2959.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines identified the passenger as Saidona Singgon, who initially claimed he is an employee of the Department of Transportation which supervises CAAP.
In a statement, CAAP and DOTr denied any connection with the passenger and it turned out that the passenger is an employee of the Department of Transportation and Communications assigned in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolinio said that some passengers heard a fellow passenger utter a bomb joke while the plane was on cue for taxi prior takeoff.
The aircraft crew and Naia Airport Grounds Operations Division immediately informed airport security of the incident resulting in the arrest of Singgon, who is now in the custody of authorities for questioning.
Ma. Cielo Villaluna, head of PAL Corporate Communications Department and spokesperson, said Singgon will be charged with a case of Presidential Decree 1727 (False Bomb Threat) which punishes, among others, malicious dissemination of false information knowing the same to be false.
Villaluna said the airline management cautions the public against making bomb jokes. She added such action results in grave inconvenience to the flight, its passengers and succeeding flight services.
Under the law, anyone circulating hoax warning through e-mail and text messages can be held criminally liable as it constitutes a wilfull dissemination of false information which is punishable by law.
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.
Part of the security measure at the airports is the inspection of luggage while passengers underwent rigid body frisking in a bid that no firearms or explosives might be brought inside the airport undetected.
In 2007, actor John Estrada was briefly held at the airport in General Santos City for joking that he was carrying a bomb in his bag.
Estrada was about to fly back to Manila via a Philippine Airlines flight when the incident happened. He was released and allowed to board the plane after his baggage was thoroughly inspected.
Police said Estrada apologized later and told them he had learned his lesson not to joke about bombs in airports.
Also in September 2016, a 34-year-old air cargo employee at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was arrested for joking he was carrying a bomb inside his car.
The Manila International Airport Authority is keeping strict surveillance of passengers within the airport and implement strict car inspection.
The Airport Police Department personnel, on the other hand, manned the entrances of the airport terminals and outer perimeters.