Another mall bomb jester charged before prosecutor

Two policemen arrest Janelle Camacho (center) for dropping a bomb joke at Gaisano Capital South in downtown Cebu City.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ LESLEY CAMINADE OF TV5)

ANOTHER woman was arrested by police for allegedly making a bomb joke at a mall in downtown Cebu City on Thursday morning.

Janelle Camacho, 34, and a resident of Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, presented her bag for inspection at the entrance of Gaisano Capital South along Colon Street at around 10 a.m. and allegedly told the mall’s security guard, “O, naa nay bomba. (There’s a bomb inside it).”

She was immediately taken into custody by the guard who called the assistance of the police.

Charges for violating Presidential Decree (PD) 1727, often referred to as the Bomb Joke Law, were filed against her before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office yesterday afternoon, said PO3 Ariel Nator of the Carbon Police Station.

In a media interview, Camacho admitted of making a bomb joke.

“Pasayloa intawn ko. Nagmahay ko sa akong gibuhat. (Please forgive me. I regret what I did),” she said.

But due to time constraints, the inquest proceedings — a procedure done after an arrest — however will be done by the prosecutor today.

About 12 hours earlier, a 15-year-old student was also taken into custody by security officers of Ayala Center Cebu for allegedly dropping a bomb joke.

The boy, however, was later released by the management of Ayala Center Cebu.

PO3 Enrique Manolong of the Mabolo Police Station said officers of Ayala Center Cebu forgave the boy and chose not to turn over the latter to authorities.

At least four persons were taken into custody for allegedly making bomb jokes in different malls in Cebu City since Sept. 9.

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), urged mall officers to file charges against anyone who make bomb jokes to discourage others from doing the same.

Bomb jokes or false threats, he said, incite fear in people, and can cause commotion, panic, and even stampede.

Past 7 a.m. Wednesday, an abandoned box thought to contain explosives triggered panic and heavy traffic in Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City.

The box wrapped with a packaging tape was found outside the Concord Technical Institute along Cabreros Street.

Members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) immediately cordoned off the place and checked what was inside the box.

But the box only had sand, gravel and three umbrella nails.

Last Sept. 9, police arrested Jasmin Sala, a production worker from Mandaue City, for dropping a bomb joke at Robinsons Place Cebu.

Three days later, 19-year-old Carl John Sacal was arrested by police for allegedly making a bomb joke at City Soho Mall along B. Rodriguez Street, Cebu City.

Presidential Decree (PD) 1727 declares as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information and willful threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device, through word of mouth, use of mail, telephone, telegraph, printed materials and other means of communication.

PD 1727, issued in October 1980, provides a penalty of not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more than P40,000 or both.