Man arrested for bomb joke in Dagupan

DAGUPAN CITY – He started a joke that made him cry in jail.

Superintendent Mariano Luis Verzosa Jr., officer-in-charge city police chief here, told The STAR that Orlando Tumanaw, 36, married, businessman and resident of Barangay Lasip Chico this city, is still lodged at the Dagupan City Police Station jail for his bomb joke while he was inside the Nepo Mall department store on Sunday around 3 p.m.

The city policemen led by Verzosa responded and investigated an alleged bomb threat in the said mall.

They found out that Tumanaw, then under the influence of liquor, arrived at the mall and went inside the security office carrying three pieces of alleged explosives wrapped in small packages and one kitchen knife approximately 11 inches in length.

He questioned the security officers for their lapses in their duty after he surrendered the said items to the mall’s security officer.

As of Sunday, Verzosa said Tumanaw was still in jail while the alleged explosives he carried are being examined by the Crime Laboratory in Lingayen.

If found positive, Tumanaw will be charged for violating RA 8294 for illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives. If not, he will be charged with violation of PD 1727 (Anti-Bomb Scare Joke Law) punishable by five years imprisonment and P40,000 fine, Verzosa said.

“This will serve as a lesson to the people that we have a law against bomb joke,” Verzosa said.