American arrested for hitting PAL plane's window with cane

MANILA, Philippines - An 80-year-old American man was arrested in Cebu for trying to break a glass window of a Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane yesterday.

Police said Rex Maybert Hampton of Oregon, Portland, is now under the custody of the Cebu police as the PAL management is preparing a formal complaint against him.

Hampton will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9497 on civil air regulations and for endangering his co-passengers.

Superintendent Joey Salido, chief of the 7th Police Center for Aviation Security based at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City, said Hampton became hysterical as he alleged that somebody was out to kill him, and started hitting the glass window with his cane some 30 minutes after the plane took off from the Centennial Airport in Pasay City.

Salido said the window panel hit by Hampton had spider web-like cracks, which, however, did not affect the Manila-Cebu flight since the glass window had a three-layered panel.