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Philippine airport police warn against bomb jokes

The Philippine airport police chief warned travellers on Saturday to refrain from making bomb jokes or face jail.

  • By Gilbert Felongco, Correspondent
  • Published: 10:49 August 23, 2008
  • Gulf News

Manila: The Philippine airport police chief warned travellers on Saturday to refrain from making bomb jokes or face jail.

Chief superintendent Atilano Morada made the warning after a Filipino was arrested on Friday for joking that his bags contained a hand grenade.

Suspect Joe Laurenta was barred from boarding his Kuwait Airways flight after making the bomb joke at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Morada said that Laurente is being detained at a police station pending the filing of a criminal case against him.

The 40-year-old Laurente was due to return to work after vacationing in the Philippines when he grudgingly told a baggage checker at the NAIA that he was carrying a grenade among his belongings.

Laurente was awaiting his turn at the x-ray machine queue when the machine operator asked him to open his baggage to check an object inside that turned out blurry on the x-ray machine.

At this point, Laurente grudgingly complied but in a raised voice told the baggage screener in Filipino: "There is a grenade in there!"

Laurente's reaction caused a small commotion that prompted airport officials to look into the matter. It also caused authorities to prevent him from boarding the flight.

The Philippines has banned bomb jokes in airports since 2006, and violators could get up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to 40,000 pesos ($879.12).

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