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MANILA, Philippines — Another party-list congressman has been involved in a controversy, this time, for making a ‘bomb joke’ at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday.
Local media reported earlier that Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) party-list Representative Sergio Dagooc was briefly held by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Group when he told airport inspectors his baggage contained a “bomb.”
Dagooc made the remark after Aviation police asked about the contents of his luggage, which exceeded the allowable 11 kilograms.
Based on the report of the PNP-Aviation Station 2, they immediately arrested Dagooc and prevented him from boarding the flight for violating the Presidential Decree 1727 or the anti-bomb joke law.
He was later released from custody and allowed to take the flight after his lawyer insisted that Dagooc can’t be arrested under Article 6 Section 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which states that, “A Senator or member of the House of Representatives shall, be in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while the Congress is in Session.”
A “bomb joke” is a crime which carries a penalty of five years of imprisonment and a fine of P40,000.
According to House Minority Leader Bienvenido “Benny” Abante, the incident should be investigated by the House Committee on Ethics since this is the second time that a party-list solon was embroiled in a controversy.
Earlier this month, Ang Probinsiyano party-list Representative Alfred delos Santos issued a public apology after punching a service crew in a restaurant in Albay.
“Sana wala tayong congressman that will down the house of congress into the level of gangsterism,” Abante said.
The House leadership has yet to determine who will head the Ethics committee.
The lawmaker said that congressmen who cannot conduct themselves with decorum should just step down from office.
“If you do not know how to conduct yourself with the decorum and proper its good for you to resign as a congressman,” he said.
Congressman Dagooc has yet to issue a statement on the matter. (with details from Grace Casin)
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