Thursday, June 19, 2008
Another trader arrested over bomb joke
A CEBU-based Palestinian businessman was arrested at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) the other day for allegedly joking he had a bomb in his baggage.
The Philippine Center for Aviation Security (PCAS) identified the businessman as Ahmid Seyam.
Seyam was later released after posting P50,000 as bail. He is facing a complaint for violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 1727, which penalizes false bomb threats, filed against him by Assistant Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor Shellamar Saliganan before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office.
Seyam, who resides at Countryside 2, New Road, Liloan, Cebu, denied ever joking about having a bomb.
He told reporters he was even wondering why the PCAS staff was shouting that there was a bomb on his baggage.
Seyam was schedule to leave for Saudi Arabia on a Qatar Airlines flight at 6 p.m. on June 17. When he passed by the x-ray machines at about 4:45 p.m., operator Earl Amore noticed something inside his baggage.
Panic
Amora instructed baggage inspector Leonor Atamosa to manually examine Seyam’s baggage. Atamosa panicked when Seyam allegedly told her that a bomb was placed inside the bag.
Atamosa started shouting that a bomb was inside Seyam’s baggage, causing people near them to panic.
Seyam was arrested by PO1 Cedic Abas, a PCAS member, and was investigated by PO1 Sonny Longboy.
The complaint against Seyam was signed and filed with the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office by PCAS 7 Chief Inspector Camilo Pancracius Rufo.
PD 1727, issued on Oct. 8, 1980, makes it unlawful for anyone to make any threat or maliciously report the presence of danger to property or life.
Several airline passengers have already been arrested for making false bomb threats, mostly done in jest.
In 2003, businessman Reynaldo Sangalang of Happy Valley Subdivision, Cebu City was arrested and detained by PCAS 7 for telling a Cebu Pacific flight attendant that his bag had a bomb.
His joke caused the delay of Manila-bound passengers for two hours.
PCAS 7, under Supt. Camilo Cascolan, is strictly implementing the law against airport security threats.
Recently, Cascolan initiated a civic emergency general consultative meeting at the airport. Cascolan said they are conducting trainings on aviation security, including a sniper course seminar, and anti-hijacking measures. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 19, 2008 issue)
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