Prankster nabbed for making ‘bomb’ joke in Koronadal

KORONADAL CITY – A prankster was arrested after joking that a bomb was placed inside his bag while depositing it at the baggage counter of a shopping mall here yesterday afternoon.

The mall’s security guards and members of the Task Group (TG) Marbel nabbed Romeo Udiaza, a resident of Barangay San Felipe, Tanta­ngan in South Cotabato, after he said that the bag he was supposed to surrender at the baggage counter contained a bomb.

Rolando Teraza, security officer of the KCC Mall said the man replied, “bomba ini (this is a bomb),” after he was asked what was inside his bag.

Alarmed, employees at the baggage counter immediately called the attention of the mall’s security guards and members of the TG Marbel who were securing the premises outside.

Udiaza was immediately held and brought to the city police station for questioning based on the complaint of the mall management.

The man said he was only joking when he said that his bag contained a bomb but the KCC Mall management said it was a “bad joke.”

“He should not have cracked a joke that way because we are on alert following the bombing of a department store in Kidapawan City,” Teraza said.

A mall employee was killed while eight others were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off past 5 p.m. Thursday at a baggage counter of KMCC Mall in Kidapawan City.

KCC management said Udiaza had no reason to crack a bomb joke in the mall’s premises.

Police believe that Udiaza was simply joking and was unaware that there was a law that penalizes bomb jokes.

Under Presidential Decree 1727, also known as the Anti-False Bomb Threat or Bomb Joke Law, anybody found guilty of bomb joke faces an imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to P40,000 or both depending on the discretion of the court.