Bomb jokes inside Quiapo Chruch send man to jail

Not all jokes are funny. A 42-year-old man was arrested by police after he yelled that there was a bomb inside Quiapo Church which sent shivers among churchgoers early Friday morning.

Manila Police District acting chief, P/Col Thomas Ibay, identified the suspect as Dennis Garcia, a resident of Brgy, Talipapa in Quezon City.

Based on the report of the duty security guard of Quiapo Chruch Michael Tamayo his attention was called when churchgoers started to panic at around 5:30 a.m. after hearing the suspect uttering words that there is a bomb inside.

Tamayo confronted the suspect, accosted him, and turned him over to the police assigned at the church perimeter.

The Quiapo Church has been heavily secured by police and all other government agencies for the nine-day annual traslacion on the feast of the Black Nazarene, which is being attended by hundreds of thousands of catholic devotees. The police are on "red alert" status.

Accordingly, the suspect violated P.D. No. 1727, declaring as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information of the willful making of any threat concerning bombs. explosives, or any similar device or means of destruction.

If found guilty, the suspect may face a penalty of not more than five years of imprisonment, or a fine of not more than P40,000, or both at the discretion of the court.