Woman arrested over bomb joke at Puerto Galera port

A resorts in Puerto Galera ( CONTRIBUTED FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested a woman in Puerto Galera port for allegedly uttering a bomb joke, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said on Thursday.

The unidentified passenger joked about carrying a bomb while entering the Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) of Port of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro on Holy Wednesday.

“Upon entering the port, the woman joked that she had a bomb with her while queuing at the baggage x-ray machine before entering PTB,” the PPA said in a statement.

The passenger was brought to the police station and charged with violating the Anti-Bomb Joke Law (Presidential Decree No. 1727).

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The decree declares “as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information of the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar destruction and imposing penalties thereof.”

Violators may be penalized for not more than five years in prison and a fine of up to P40,000, upon the court’s discretion.