DISRUPTION Flight delays hit Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay, on Monday after a note on the supposed presence of a bomb was found inside the lavatory of a Manila-bound plane. —MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN
Criminal charges await the still unidentified passenger who left a “bomb joke” note in the lavatory of a Cebu Pacific flight that was about to take off from Bicol International Airport (BIA) in Daraga, Albay, on Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon news briefing on state television, Caap spokesperson Eric Apolonio said a member of the crew of Manila-bound flight 5J-326 discovered a crumpled piece of paper with “Bomb??” written on it in the tissue compartment of the aircraft lavatory as the plane was taxiing on the runway at 10:45 a.m.
The incident was reported by the pilot to the BIA air traffic controller. In accordance with safety procedures, the plane was ordered to return to the parking bay and all 130 passengers were asked to disembark.
The aircraft was checked and all check-in and hand-carried luggage were brought out and inspected again by Caap security agents as well as personnel and canine units from the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group.
Flights resumed after more than three hours of extensive clearing operations.
Police Brig. Gen. Westrimundo Obinque, Bicol regional police director, assured the public that there was no threat to the security in the area.
Punishment
Apolonio did not disclose the status of the investigation, but he said the culprit, whom he confirmed to be a passenger, would be charged with violation of Presidential Decree No. 1727, which carries the penalties of P40,000 in fine, five years in jail, or both.
He said making a bomb threat, even if it were a prank, is also punishable by up to 12 years in jail under Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
The incident resulted in the temporary suspension of landing and takeoff at the BIA starting Monday noon. Eleven inbound and outbound flights were either delayed or diverted, leaving hundreds of passengers inconvenienced.
Airport operations resumed at 1:35 p.m. After being cleared of any explosive, flight 5J-326 left the airport at 2:39 p.m.