PBMA man with gun in bag nabbed

A 27-year-old man was arrested for carrying a gun inside his knapsack before he boarded a vessel bound for Surigao City Tuesday night.

Maritime Police members were conducting a baggage check on passengers boarding the vessel docked at Pier I when they found the gun from the suspect, Inone Estrada.

Estrada, a resident of San Jose in Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, is now detained at the Mabolo Police station. He claimed to be a member of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association.

Authorities said a homemade 'Frontier' single shot handgun and three live 5.56 caliber ammunition were found from the knapsack that Estrada was carrying while boarding the vessel.

The Maritime Police, led by Insp. Dante Mabasa, inspected Estrada's bag, the zipper of which was found open.

The muzzle of the gun was found protruding from the clothes that was made to wrap or cover the gun, prompting the policemen to demand from Estrada pertinent papers for possessing the item.

Estrada failed to show legal papers for his gun and was arrested. He later told reporters that he bought the gun from Danao City for P600 and planned to sell it at Dinagat for P3000.-Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE