Party-list solon briefly held at NAIA over bomb joke


A party-list lawmaker was briefly held by airport authorities after allegedly making a bomb joke at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, police said Friday.
Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Police Major Querico Tomotorgo, chief of the Philippine National Police Aviation Station 2, identified the lawmaker as APEC party-list Representative Sergio Dagooc.
Dagooc, who was on his way to Cagayan de Oro on Thursday, allegedly said "bomba" when asked on the contents of his carry-on baggage, which exceeded the allowed 11 kilos.
"Tinanong siya kung ano ang laman. Nag-reply si Congressman Dagooc na mga damit. So nag-further ng question... sabi ano pa yung iba. Ang sagot ni Mister Dagooc, bomba," Tomotorgo narrated.
He said this prompted Pearl Lasangan, the duty passenger service agent, to refer Dagooc to her supervisor and security commander. The lawmaker was then brought to the Terminal 2 police station.
Tomotorgo said they had to release Dagooc after his lawyer, who went to their station, cited Article 6 Sec. 11 of the Constitution which states that lawmakers facing crime not punishable by more than six years imprisonment can't be arrested while Congress is in session.
"Yun po ang naging dahilan kaya po ni-release si Congressman Dagooc," Tomotorgo said, adding making a bomb joke is only punishable by five years imprisonment and a fine of P40,000.
Tomotorgo, however, said the airline — in this case the Philippine Airlines — can still pursue the case if it wants to.
"Nakausap namin yung attorney ng PAL, dini-discuss nila with head legal office ng PAL kung kelan nila isasampa yung kaso," he said.
Dobol B sa News TV report said Dagooc refused to be interviewed on air but had denied using his position to elude arrest. —KBK, GMA News

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