Malls urged to post ‘no bomb joke’ signs on walls

Carl John Sacal, who is detained at the Fuente Police Station detention cell for making a bomb joke, shows the bluetooth speaker he held while making the joke inside a mall (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON).

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief is encouraging the management of the different malls in the city to post reminders in the different corners of their establishments for people to refrain from making bomb jokes or threats.

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, CCPO chief, said he also encouraged Ayala Center Cebu’s security management to file charges against the 15-year-old student who allegedly dropped a bomb joke at the mall last Wednesday.

Doria said he was dismayed at the Ayala Center Cebu’s management’s decision not to file charges against the boy.

“It set a bad precedence. Others might think it’s all right to make a bomb joke because, anyway, you won’t get sued,” he told reporters.

The student was taken into custody by mall security guards after he allegedly made a bomb joke past 9 p.m. Wednesday.

But the mall management didn’t turn over the boy to the police.

Doria said the police repeatedly cautioned the public not to make bomb jokes, otherwise, they would be arrested and sued.

“Pero meron talagang mga makukulit. (But there are really those who want to provoke us). Okay, you can make any joke. But we, policemen, will also continue to implement the law,” he said.

Since Sept. 9, at least four persons were taken into custody for allegedly making bomb jokes in different malls.

Charges for violating Presidential Decree 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law were already filed against three of the four persons, who were detained. The student was set free by the management of Ayala Center Cebu mall.

3 charged

Jasmin Sala, 37, production worker from Mandaue City, was the first person arrested in Cebu City for dropping a bomb joke at the Robinson’s Place Cebu last Sept. 9.
She jestingly told the security guard who checked on her bag that it contained a bomb.

She was detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell.

Three days later, Carl John Sacal, 19, made a bomb joke inside City Soho Mall along B. Rodriguez St., Cebu City and was arrested.

Mall guards arrested Sacal after he claimed to have a bomb while holding his circular bluetooth speaker, which he took from his pants’ pocket.

He was detained at the Fuente Osmena police station detention cell.

Last Thursday, Janelle Camacho, 34, of Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, was arrested after she made a bomb joke when she presented her bag for inspection at the entrance of Gaisano Capital South along Colon Street at 10 a.m.

She was detained at the Carbon police station detention cell.

PD 1727

Presidential Decree (PD) 1727, often referred to as the Bomb Joke Law or Anti-Bomb Joke Law, 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 provides a penalty of not more than five years imprisonment or a fine of not more than P40,000 or both depending on the court’s ruling.