Man arrested for bomb joke, illegal possession of drugs in Davao

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 27 Dec) – Police authorities arrested a 22-year-old bus passenger who was initially arrested for “bomb joke” but was later found possessing shabu during a joint police and military border patrol operation on Christmas Day in Barangay Binugao, Toril, this city.

_{A member of Task Force Davao prepares to board a passenger bus for inspection. MindaNews photo by Manman Dejeto}

Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), told MindaNews that the suspect was identified as Palm Jay Solante Sansan, a resident of Loyola Subdivision in Digos City Davao del Sur.

She said that the police officers immediately responded after being alerted of a commotion involving the suspect, who caused panic after he made a joke about planting a bomb in the passenger bus around 11:40 a.m. Monday.

“They were informed by a concerned citizen that there was a commotion that transpired a [short] distance away, on a bus involving one unidentified male person who was allegedly shouting that he planted a bomb inside the said bus,” Dela Rey said.

Responding authorities immediately arrested the suspect.

But when frisked for deadly weapon, police recovered in his possession a small sachet of suspected crystal methamphetamine or shabu weighing 0.11 grams with an estimated street value of P1,760.

The suspect will face charges for bomb joke, which is punishable under Presidential Decree No. 1727, and illegal possession punishable under Section 11 of R.A 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

PD 1727 declares as “unlawful malicious dissemination of false information of the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device or means of destruction.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)