Bomb scare disrupts flights at Tacloban airport

MANILA, Philippines - Two flights to Tacloban City were delayed last Wednesday due to a bomb scare at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.

The flights of Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Zest were diverted to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport after the pilot of Philippine Airlines (PAL) Flight PR 2988 bound for Manila unloaded passengers in view of a possible bomb threat, Tacloban airport area manager Antonio Alfonso said in a report to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 

The luggage of Achie Jay Veloria from Kidapawan, North Cotabato, was intercepted as he was about to board the aircraft. When asked by PAL security personnel, he denied having a bomb in his bag, according to an initial report from the Aviation Security Unit.

When he was asked again, he repeated his claim, adding that bombs are banned in airports.

The Tacloban airport resumed normal operations after a few hours. 

Veloria was taken to the San Jose police station after investigation at Aviation Security Unit 8, after which he was brought to the San Jose municipal trial court.