Manila cops recover guns, grenade

Elements of the Western Police District’s Mobile Patrol Unit recovered a hand grenade, two guns and assorted ammunition inside a parked car early yesterday morning in Ermita, Manila.

According to Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, chief of the WPD-DMPU, elements of mobile car 311 were on patrol along Agoncillo Street when they spotted as black Honda Civic with plate number WTE-263 illegally parked with three men abroad at about 12:10 a.m.

Sensing something could be amiss, the police crew led by Senior Police Officer 1 Felicisimo Dalwatan approached the car and question the occupants.

But the three unidentified men quickly alighted from the car and scampered away in different directions. The officers gave chase but the suspects managed to elude arrest.

A check of the suspects’ car led to the discovery of the hand grenade hidden inside the glove compartment, a .38 caliber revolver tucked beneath the driver’s seat, and an improvised pistol and assorted rounds of ammunition for 9 mm and M16 rifle stashed underneath the matting of the rear passenger seat.

Police theorize the suspects, who are now being tracked down, could have been waiting to stage a robbery when they were chanced upon by the lawmen.

Investigators also theorized that the car could have been stolen by the suspects, believed to be members of the notorious "Bonnet" gang of robbers, to be serve as their getaway vehicle in the heist.

Meanwhile, a fire of still unknown origin struck a residential area in Sta. Mesa, Manila, Saturday and left at least P2 million in damages.

Initial investigation by the arson division of the Manila Fire Department showed that the blaze originally started at the second floor of a house owned by a certain Rosie Dabu located on 4674 Pagkakaisa St., at about 7:42 a.m. — Mike Frialde