Detained for cracking a ‘bomb joke” inside the Laoag International Airport, a 70-year-old Dutch woman was granted leniency by prosecutors after a criminal complaint against her was dropped.

Mary Evelyn Dolor Neuen, on vacation in the Philippines with her family, was at LIA on Wednesday (January 3) when she was overheard saying that “there’s a bomb” while a security screening officer was inspecting her luggage.

The Dutch senior citizen was immediately prevented from leaving the airport and held by airport authorities for allegedly violating Presidential Decree 1727 that declares illegal any malicious dissemination of false information and threats relative to bombs, explosives and other devices while inside any airport in the country.

On Friday, the inquest prosecutor where the criminal case against Neuen was referred reportedly found that the tourist’s joke did not cause “any panic, public confusion and disorder”.

Further, airport security subjected Neuen’s bag and other belongings to inspection and found no bomb or any other explosive device present.

“Upon receiving the report, the K9-OED unit immediately condcuted paneling and upon thorought inspection, the result was negative of explosive,” said security team leader CApt. Nelson Fantonia.

Neuen and her family were in the Philippines to spend the Christmas holidays in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.