Police and airport officials in Manila on Saturday urged air travelers to refrain from making bomb jokes or spreading rumors about bomb threats to prevent panic or inconvenience.
The authorities came up with the warning following the recent arrest of two travelers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals 1 and 3 for violating Presidential Decree 1727, or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law.
Operatives of the Police – Aviation Security Group and Airport Police Department arrested a 21-year-old passenger from Calamba, Laguna, after sending a bomb threat via text message to the NAIA hotline.
Another passenger, identified as a resident of 258F, Teresa St., Sta. Mesa, Manila, was also questioned about the presence of bombs in his luggage during the check-in process in NAIA Terminal 1.
The passenger admitted to uttering the phrase “Chicharon yan kaso pinadala sa akin, chicharon bomba, joke lang.”
The suspects were passengers of Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air flights going to Singapore.
Police encouraged the public to exercise responsible behavior and abstain from communicating false information, whether in person or
through digital platforms, that may pose an actual threat to the nation’s security.
The authorities stated they are always taking a firm stance against such intolerable behavior due to the potentially grave consequences it
can lead to. They added such actions would be taken with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity as they may affect public order and
safety.
Violators of PD 1727 may face imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not more than P40,000, or both, at the discretion of the
court.
Jokes about carrying bombs while in the airport or on board the aircraft, and anyone cracking jokes will be denied carriage by the airlines and/or entry into the airport and will be subjected to investigation by the National Police.
Anyone circulating hoax warnings through email and text messages can also be held criminally liable as it constitutes the wilful dissemination of false information, which is punishable by law.
The law, signed by the late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1980, declared unlawful and penalized the malicious dissemination of false information and the making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar device or means of destruction.