Chinese man held at Resorts World for guns, grenades

A Chinese man carrying several firearms and explosives in his vehicle was arrested early Thursday morning at the VIP parking area of Resorts World Manila, a casino and entertainment complex in Pasay City.

Seized from Jerry Sy, a businessman residing on Fugoso Street, Tondo, Manila, were an automatic rifle with silencer, a .22-cal. revolver with silencer, a 9-mm Glock 9 pistol, a .22-cal. Beretta pistol with silencer, three grenades and antiriot smoke grenades, a “defaced” gun, knives, a hammer and a Taser gun,  among others.

The arresting officers from Community Precinct 8 of the Pasay police said they chanced upon Sy at the parking area around 1:15 a.m. when they noticed a commotion involving the suspect and Joseph Ang, 58, a casino agent reporting to Ringsons International which holds office on Resorts World’s 2nd floor.

Upon seeing the approaching officers led by Senior Insp. Vicente Barrameda, Sy ran toward his parked car, a white Honda Accord, and accidentally “dropped two 9-mm magazines.” The rest of the firearms were discovered in the car after the policemen gave chase.

In interviews with Inquirer Radio and INQUIRER.net, Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said Sy also yielded a Resorts World Platinum membership card.

Villacorte said Sy faced charges for illegal possession of firearms and physical injuries, the latter arising from the suspect’s fight with Ang.

Even gun silencers or suppressors are illegal in the country and even policemen are prohibited from using them, according to the SPD chief.