The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Friday reiterated its appeal to the public to refrain from making bomb jokes or spreading rumors about bomb threats to prevent panic or inconvenience.
The agency also reminded the people to be wary of doing such things and warned that making bomb jokes is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a P40,000 fine, or both under Presidential Decree 1727 (Anti-Bomb Joke Law).
The aviation authority made the appeal following a bomb scare Thursday afternoon at Butuan Airport.
CAAP and airport authorities swiftly responded to the threat, ensuring passenger and staff safety without disrupting flight operations.
The Butuan Airport Police Station (BAPS) stated it received a text message at 5:14 p.m. about bombs placed in the comfort room of the airport’s boarding area and in baggage checked in on flights from Cebu and Manila.
BAPS also helped in detecting any unattended baggage and suspicious activities while also conducting covert surveillance within the Passenger Terminal Building.
They also conducted paneling and discreet clearing operations targeting the location of the bomb threat at the boarding area including all the comfort rooms, check-in counters, and baggage build-up areas which yielded negative presence of explosive materials.
