CEBU CITY — Think before you joke.
A 20-year-old culinary student learned this the hard way after he was arrested for allegedly threatening to carry out a gun attack inside a university in Barangay Kamagayan.
The suspect, identified only as Rence, claimed he was joking when he commented on a TikTok live video on Wednesday morning, Aug. 19, that he would stage a shooting inside a university on Sanciangko Street.
The threat was reported to the Cebu City Police Office.
Since the school is within its jurisdiction, the Parian Police Station handled the investigation.
It was later learned that the suspect was a resident of Mandaue City.
Parian police then coordinated with their counterparts in Mandaue.
Investigators later found out that the suspect had left for Poro Island in Camotes.
Coordination led to his arrest in Purok Mangga, Barangay Altavista, Poro, Camotes.
Police said Rence will be charged with violating Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The suspect admitted making the threatening comment but insisted it was only a joke.
“Nadala lang sa kabuang gyud. Sukad pa sauna bugal-bugalon gyud ko. Wala gyud koy intention nga buhaton na nako (I just got carried away by foolishness. I’ve always been a joker. I had no intention of doing it),” Rence told reporters.
He apologized for his actions, saying what he did should not be imitated to avoid falling into legal trouble.