PAL to sue passenger for bomb joke

PAL lawyers are set to fly to Dumaguete on Friday to file the case, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said Thursday. (Photo: Philippine Airlines/ Facebook)

MANILA — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) intends to file a case against a passenger who cracked a bomb joke at the boarding of a Dumaguete-Manila flight on Wednesday.

PAL lawyers are set to fly to Dumaguete on Friday to file the case, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said Thursday.

“As per blotter, (the) crew member told him to place one of his bags underneath his seat and in response, he said, ‘Bakit ko gagawin yan? Wala naman bomba yan’ (Why should I do that? There’s no bomb inside it),” Villaluna related to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday.

She said the incident resulted in a four-hour flight delay out of Dumaguete.

Making a bomb joke is a violation of Presidential Decree 1727, or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law.

Under the law, violators may face imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not more than PHP40,000, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Villaluna said the male passenger was brought to the Aviation Security Command Center for questioning.

“He was detained for two hours, but since no PAL lawyer was present at the Command Center at that time, the passenger was released,” she narrated.

PAL, meanwhile, reminds the public against making bomb jokes, noting this might result in “grave inconvenience” among passengers.