MANILA – A party-list lawmaker was briefly held at the Philippine capital’s main airport for saying that there was a “bomb” in his check-in luggage, Philippine Airlines said Friday, as it cautioned the public against joking about dangerous contents in their bags.
Sergio Dagooc of APEC party-list was checking in at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday for his flight to Cagayan de Oro and told the PAL agent that aside from clothes, his bag contained a “bomb,” the airline said.
Police released him from custody, citing a provision in the Constitution which states that lawmakers accused of an offense punishable by no more than 6 years in prison should be “privileged from arrest” while Congress is in session, PAL said.
The flag carrier described the incident as “most unfortunate.” It did not say if explosives were found in Dagooc’s bag.
“We appeal to all our passengers to refrain from uttering statements which may cause undue concern, alarm and panic. PAL, the Aviation Security Group and our civil aviation authorities do not take such utterances lightly,” PAL said. (ABS-CBN News)
