Bomb joke delayed Iloilo-Manila flight on Tuesday

A bomb joke caused at least 176 passengers to be evacuated from an aircraft in Iloilo City on Tuesday, March 4.

The passengers were on board a flight bound for Manila.

Based on the investigation by the PNP Aviation Security Unit (AVSEU) 6, a passenger told a companion about a grenade inside his bag.

A crew member heard the conversation and reported it immediately to the authorities.

“After the incident we took custody of him and also yung clinearing [clearing] po namin ang eroplano. Once cleared na po siya, declared by our K-9, ni-release na po namin ang eroplano,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Gazbamiller Guzman of AVSEU 6.

(After the incident we took custody of him and we inspected the airplane. We permitted the plane to take off when our K-9 group declared it cleared).

Authorities reiterated that passengers should avoid making any bomb jokes.

“Sinisigurado namin ang security ng lahat ng eroplano, flight crews na walang mangyari sa kanila. Kahit biro yan, we take it seriously,” Guzman said.

(We make sure the aircraft and flight crews are safe. Even if it's a joke, we take it seriously.)

Charges of violating Presidential Decree Number 1727, or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law, will be filed against the suspect, who was taken into custody by the AVSEU 6.

The law stipulates that the suspect can be imprisoned for about five years and fined P40,000 if proven guilty of the charges. —GMA Regional TV News/VBL, GMA Integrated News