Drug user lands in jail for grabbing policewoman’s gun

A suspected drug user was collared after trying to grab the gun of a rookie policewoman while on board a bus the other day in Caloocan City, police said yesterday.

SPO1 Ferdinand Sarmiento identified the officer as PO1 Marilou Ricardo, 27, single, assigned to the National Capital Region (NCR) Maritime Group at the Navotas Fishport Complex and a resident of 8-C Road 3, First West Crame, San Juan.

Suspect Raymund Buello, 26, single, jobless, of Bayogo, Meycauayan, Bulacan was detained pending the filing of charges of attempted robbery and illegal possession of prohibited drugs.

Records showed that attempt to snatch the officer’s gun occurred at around 12:15 a.m. in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City right after as the northbound bus they both boarded passed the Cloverleaf Interchange in Balintawak, Quezon City.

Ricardo told probers she was seated beside the suspect on her way to work in Navotas when the incident happened.

She said she was trying to take a nap as the bus traveled on EDSA when she felt Buello try to take her 9 mm service firearm in theholster on her right hip.

Ricardo proved quicker to draw as he clamped the handcuffs on Buello as they wrestled. The suspect was soon subdued with a little help from concerned fellow passengers.

When frisked, the suspect yielded a sachet of shabu. Caloocan City Prosecutor Manuel Guiyab imposed a bail of P2,000 for the gun-grabbing and P200,000 for the illegal drug charge on the suspect who is now in jail. – Jerry Botial