Bomb joke forces officials to cancel flight

CEBU, Philippines -  A businessman from Surigao City was arrested by airport police after he jokingly announced he was carrying a bomb in his bag inside a departing Cebu Pacific plane.

The incident led to the cancellation of Flight 5J223 which was supposed to leave for Butuan City at 2:50 p.m. yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Constantino Barrot, chief 7th Aviation Security Unit based at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, said they will still be subjecting businessman Arnold Go, 42, for further inquiry.

Barrot said Go was turned over to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail last night. Formal charges are expected to be filed against him in court today in relation to Presidential Decree 1727 which penalizes making false bomb threats.

Based on initial investigation, Go allegedly refused to place his hand luggage in a designated spot despite the request of flight attendant during boarding.

He instead said in jest that there was a bomb in his bag.

The attendant informed her superior of the incident and airport police were then called up for assistance.

Barrot said the businessman had a company but he was the only one picked up for questioning.

Stemarie Pangkit, corporate communications officer of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport, said airport operations remained normal yesterday despite the incident.

Pangkit said security measures were adopted by airport police and other law enforcement agencies inside the airport.

She added that they are closely coordinating with the airline operators regarding the incident.

GMR-Megawide, the consortium that won the bid for the improvement of MCIA, has assumed the airport’s operations starting November 1 of this year. —/JMD (FREEMAN)