A man who introduced himself as a freelance journalist was arrested by police after a revolver was discovered inside his bag through an x-ray scanner of a hotel in Pasay City where foreign delegates for the ASEAN Summit were holding a meeting Saturday afternoon.
Police Officer 1 Adrian Jack Ancheta, who was deployed for the ASEAN Summit at Sofitel Hotel, identified the suspect as Jeffrey Datuin, 24, who claims to be a freelance journalist for Net25 Eagle News Network, and resident of Barrio Obrero, Tondo, Manila.
PO1 Ancheta said that he was alarmed when he discovered a .22-caliber revolver inside the bag of Datuin when he and his girlfriend (name withheld) entered the hotel around 5:35 p.m.
“Na-monitor ko po sa x-ray scanner na may paltik nga po, may lalagyan pa nga eh, kaya pinaalam ko sa kasamahan ko. Sabi ko, kailangan masabi namin sa kanya (Datuin) na kailangan namin siyang isama sa presinto para matanong tungkol sa baril, pero kailangan kalmado dahil baka magkagulo. Delikado kasi may mga delegado kaming binabantayan,” said PO1 Ancheta, a member of Makati Police Community Precinct 4, said.
When asked for gun documents, the suspect couldn’t present any. Aside from the unlicensed revolver, Ancheta and his buddy, PO1 Rolly Ferrer, also found eight live ammunition inside the bag so they escorted him to the Pasay Police headquarters.
Datuin was brought to the police headquarters for questioning around 8 p.m.. He was accompanied by his girlfriend who just took oath as a doctor that same day.
Citing Datuin’s statements, PO1 Ancheta said the gun was given by the suspect’s uncle to his father.
In a separate interview, Datuin maintained that the gun was not his, adding he didn’t know how and why it was in his bag.
Datuin explained that he only accompanied his girlfriend at the Sofitel Hotel where the latter’s family prepared a celebration.
“Hindi ho sa akin ‘yang baril at hindi ko alam bakit napunta sa bag ko ‘yan,” Datuin said.
Datuin was locked up at the Pasay Police headquarters and a case for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition is being prepared against him. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
