Joel Guillena is shown with the security guard who brought him to police. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
A 25-YEAR-OLD tourist was arrested by police for allegedly making a bomb joke at the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) at past 10 a.m. yesterday.
Joel Guillena, who was headed home to Dipolog City after attending the Sinulog with friends, allegedly told the security guard at CSBT’s entrance during inspection that his backpack contained five kilos’ worth of bombs.
He was immediately brought by the guard to the security office. “The security guard didn’t have to say anything. All he did was to call our attention,” said Joy Tumulak, CSBT security management head.
CSBT officers then called a policeman who arrested the suspect. Charges for violating Presidential Decree 1727 or commonly known as the Bomb Joke Law will be filed against him.
Guillena told authorities that he did not intend to cause panic at CSBT. “Komedya ra gyud to akoa. (I was just joking),” he said.
Tumulak said Guillena’s explanation, however, won’t set him free. “Even if he was joking, to us, what he did was something serious,” he said.
Guillena is currently detained at the Carbon police precinct pending the filing of charges against him.
The suspect arrived with his friends in Cebu City last January 10 to watch the Sinulog.
They decided to go home yesterday by taking a Ceres bus ride to Dipolog City. His homecoming may have to wait awhile following his arrest.
Guillena is the first person to be arrested for allegedly making a bomb joke in Cebu City this year. In 2016, at least six persons were also taken into police custody for allegedly committing the same violation.
Presidential Decree 1727 declares as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information and willful threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device.
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.