Jay Manalo held over bomb joke

Two months after actor John Estrada was accosted for a similar offense, fellow movie celebrity Jay Manalo was held by airport authorities Thursday for cracking a bomb joke.

The 34-year-old actor was taken into custody at about 9 a.m. as he was about to board his Philippine Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial Terminal 2.

He was supposed to leave for Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

Manalo, star of three Mano Po movies and other award-winning films, was still under airport security custody as of posting time.

The Vietnam-born actor gained his "macho stud" image after playing the lead role in the 1997 sexy flick, Totoy Mola.

Senior Superintendent Atillano Morada, head of airport security, was quoted by dzBB radio as saying that Manalo quipped that he had a bomb in his luggage.

On May 7, Estrada also said there was a bomb in one of his bags while leaving the airport at General Santos City.

Estrada refused to have his belongings searched at that time, prompting security personnel to briefly detain him.
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