Aussie, 2 Pinays indicted for “bomb joke” inside hotel
A 48-year-old Australian national and two Filipinas were charged before the court over an alleged bomb joke.
Prosecutor II Jillann Paculba-Gealon held Jamie Allan Morgan and two of his alleged companions, Carmiel Marie Pasco and Myla Tugbong, for trial after finding probable cause for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law.
In an inquest proceeding before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, the three accused chose not to undergo further investigation. Instead, they manifested to face the charges in court.
Hotel security manager Noel Clarus alleged that onApril 29, 2018 at around 12:40 p.m., Nicanor Negre, a hotel housekeeper, informed him that he saw a word bombing on the mirror inside the room occupied by Morgan along Escario Street, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City and a travelling bag was put under it.
Clarus said because of the word bombing with a bag underneath, all employees inside the hotel panicked thinking that there was a bomb inside the bag.
He then called the Fuente Police Station and the Special Weapon and Tactics Team of the Cebu City Police Office.
However, he was informed by the SWAT to call the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines because the equipment they have cannot detect if there was a bomb inside the bag. Upon EOD’s inspection of the bag, it was found out that there was no bomb. Morgan was arrested around 8 p.m. when he came back to the hotel on April 29. Pasco and Tugbong were arrested around 10 p.m. on the same day at Sitio Baka, Barangay Banilad.
Gealon, upon evaluation of the evidence, only recommended the filing of Anti-Bomb Joke Law which was approved by City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas.
“The circumstance, as can be gleaned from the complaint, squarely falls under the foregoing law (PD No. 1727). The word bombing was written on the mirror of respondent Morgan’s room, a threat which was done by other communication that created public confusion and disorder. However, while the threat may have alarmed those in the hotel, respondents cannot be charged for alarm and scandal under the Revised Penal Code, as the consequential alarm brought by the bomb joke in writing, was the necessary effect which the law punishes,” read the disposition.
The three accused were released from detention after they were able to post bail last Friday.
Meanwhile, anti-illegal operatives arrested two call center agents in a buybust operation during a festival event in Estaca, Compostela, Cebu Sunday dawn. Ian Tolito Moradas, 25, and June Kent Tan Apor, 22, were arrested around 3 a.m. during a music festival, said Chief Inspector Mercy Villaro, information officer of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
The police confiscated two blue colored tablets believed to be party drugs or ecstasy. Villaro said the price of each item normally depends on the seller.
"Pinakabarato is P1,500. Depende na sa nagbaligya kung pila ibaligya, naay P2,500. Depende na nila kay magpaginansya man sila," Villaro said.
Aside from being a call center agent, Moradas, a resident of Holy Family Road, Nivel Hills in Barangay Lahug, was also one of the promoters of the event and allegedly also uses party drugs.
Apor, who is from Salinas Drive, is allegedly his cohort of the illegal activity. Villaro said the MCPO-City Intelligence Branch, led by Inspector Troy John Lalauman, conducted the buy-bust operation and coordinated with the Compostela Police Station.
"During sa Lifedance, naa silay informant nga mihatag ug mi-contact nila nga naay event sa Compostela. Naay nihatag sa MCPO og info last month ug gitiman-an sa MCPO (ang event sa Compostela). On the day sa event, ang MCPO ni-conduct og operation with Compostela Police," she said.
At least eight persons involves in distributing party drugs were nabbed in a string of operations initiated by the Regional Intelligence Division and Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the Police Regional Office-7 last January.