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Following his admission, a Filipino seafarer was fined $2,000 after jokingly said that he was carrying a bomb in his hand carry bag. He was on a Manila-bound flight last Dec 20 when the incident happened.
The seafarer was identified as Mateo F. Sumague, 42-year old. He was convicted by Magistrate Ada Yim last Jan 21 of “communicating false information on the existence of a bomb” and pleaded guilty over the offense, according to The Sun HK.
Sumague’s defense claims that his client is earning $13,500 and already have wife and kids waiting in the Philippines. Therefore, he begged for a suspended sentence or a fine.
The defendant was very remorseful of his actions and also got clear records both in the Philippines and Hong Kong. His employer will also rehire him once the case gets resolved because of his good work performance.
According to the counsel of Sumague, he only joked over a flight attendant of Philippine Airlines’ Flight PR311 when he said that he had grenade inside his hand-carried bag.
The cabin crew took the joke seriously and immediately called the aviation security. Sumague was thoroughly searched and arrested while the flight was delayed for an hour. The flight was only made to go, without the defendant after authorities made sure that no explosives were present.
The case is a serious offense and offenders usually go to jail for six months to two years and a fine.
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