Computer student with gun lands in jail

A student was locked up in jail for indiscriminately firing a .9mm handgun during a rumble in Sta. Cruz, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Twenty-year-old Leste Baño will be charged with illegal possession of firearms after he failed to present documents of the gun.

Baño, a student at a computer school and a resident of 2559 Leonor Rivera street, Sta. Cruz, Manila, was found in possession of a Beretta pistol with five rounds of ammunition.

Investigation conducted by the Western Police District (WPD) Station 3 showed the incident took place at 1:15 a.m. near the corner of Blumentritt and Leonor Rivera streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Police said Baño and his friends were engaged in a drinking spree to mark the feast of San Roque when a rumble with a rival gang erupted.

A policeman, who happened to be in the area, immediately responded. When the lawman introduced himself, gang members scampered leaving behind Baño, who is still pointing his gun in the air.

The policeman arrested Baño, who is now detained at the WPD Station 3.

Police said Baño was found to be a member of the "True Brown Style" Gang, being linked to a series of violet rumbles in the city.

In Caloocan City, a near shootout between cops occurred yesterday in Caloocan City over a traffic violation, police reported yesterday.

Caloocan City police said they slapped several charges against SPO2 David Gammad, 48, a member of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) married, of Phase 9 Lot 37, Bagong Silang Caloocan City.

Gammad has been detained on charges for reckless driving, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving without a valid driver’s license.

SPO1 Amelito Sanchez of the Caloocan City (North) Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) said they apprehended the suspect at around 11 a.m. yesterday in front of the Police Community Precinct (PCP) 16 along Cadena de Amor Street, Area B, Camarin.

Led by PCP 16 commander Inspector Roland Mabbun Sr., the operatives accosted Gammad who was then on board a Yamaha scooter for an alleged unspecified traffic violation. Gammad allegedly could not produce the required papers. He allegedly introduced himself as a policeman. Probers said the plates of the motorcycle were also allegedly fake. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jerry Botial