Soldier arrested for bomb joke in MRT

Another train rider, this time a soldier, was apprehended after making a bomb joke at MRT-3 GMA Kamuning Station on Tuesday afternoon.

AFP enlisted personnel na si James Anthony dela Cruz, todo hingi ng tawad nang arestuhin dahil sa bomb joke @dzbb pic.twitter.com/XzziDKiAS3

— Rowena L. Salvacion (@wengsalvacion) 19 April 2016

In a report by Jamie Santos in Unang Balita on Wednesday, James Tomas dela Cruz, an enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), reportedly made the bomb joke when the MRT security guard was inspecting the bag of his companion.

“Habang iniinspeksyon ko ‘yung babae, nagbitaw siya ng salita. ‘Yung bag raw po may bomba. Sabi ko, 'Sir, paulit nga po.' Inulit rin po niya," MRT security guard Rose Mindo said.

Dela Cruz, in tears, begged the MRT administration not to press charges against him.

He said he knows making such jokes is illegal but he did not think it would have him arrested.

“Ako lang ‘yung may trabaho sa pamilya at pinapaaral ko ‘yung dalawang kapatid ko," dela Cruz said.

However, according to Joel Erastain, head executive assistant of MRT, they will file charges against dela Cruz for violating Presidential Decree 1727 or the malicious dissemination of false information concerning bombs.

“Hindi lahat ng biro, nakakatawa. May PD 1727 against bomb jokes. Kung gusto mong maging secure ang sarili mo, huwag basta-basta magjo-joke,” Erastain said.

On Tuesday last week, a rider was also arrested for making a bomb joke at the North Avenue station of MRT. 

The violation has a corresponding punishment of not more than five years of imprisonment or a fine not more than P40,000. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/KG, GMA News