Come on, read the room.
An LRT-1 commuter was arrested yesterday after making an unfunny bomb joke.
Reports state that Akbar Ismael was in line for the mandatory security check-in in Pasay City’s Gil Puyat Station when he allegedly joked that the guy in front of him had a bomb inside his bag, radio station dzBB reported.
The station’s security guard was not too far away and heard Ismael’s joke. This prompted security to check the unknowing other commuter but no bombs were found in his possession.
The ineffective jokester may not have been following the news lately because it’s just about the worst time to make a bomb joke in a train station.
In late January, Metro Manila’s main train operators the MRT-3, LRT-1, and LRT-2 banned bottled drinks — and eventually other liquids — from their stations following the deadly cathedral bombing in Jolo, Sulu.
The ban came from a directive from the police, who were on high-alert nationwide at the time. Authorities believed that these bottles could contain liquid bombs that could put the lives of commuters at risk.
Apart from liquids in trains, bags, backpacks, and boxes were also banned in Davao City churches and other places of worship because of the violent attack.
The MRT-3 only recently lifted its ban on liquids as long as passengers “test” them in front of security first. As of Feb. 20, the LRT-1 still prohibited bottled liquids except for infant formula and medicines.
It’s no surprise, then, that train security did not take Ismael’s joke lightly. He was immediately arrested, brought to a police station, and now faces charges for violating Presidential Decree No. 1727 which prohibits the malicious dissemination of false information about bombs, explosives, and similar devices.
Reader Interactions