MANILA, Philippines?A Hong Kong police official was held for three hours at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Thursday for trying to bring out empty shells and bullet slugs taken from test fires conducted on the firearms of slain hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza.

Chief Insp. Li Kwai Wah was prevented from boarding Cathay Pacific flight CX 900 at the NAIA Terminal 1 at around noon because he was unable to present clearances from the Department of Justice for the pieces of evidence he was to bring to Hong Kong.

Li, who was accompanied at the airport by Chinese Embassy police attaché Wang Ben, declared the shells and slugs as he checked in his luggage.

The four M-16 Armalite rifle and four .45-caliber pistol empty shells, including their corresponding slugs, were contained in plastic bags placed inside his hand-carry bag.

Case sorted out

However, the Hong Kong lawman was unable to present a clearance from the DoJ. The only document he had was the usual clearance from the Philippine National Police?s firearms and explosives office that is required of passengers bringing ammunition out of the country via the airport.

Li was brought by customs and immigration agents to the PNP-Aviation Security Group?s 1st Police Center for Aviation Security (PCAS) office. The Cathay Pacific flight left for Hong Kong at around 1:30 p.m. without him.

Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar and other Chinese Embassy officials later arrived at the airport to sort out the case.

Salazar said he was sent to the airport by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima herself to personally give the clearance to Li.

?He (Li) was actually authorized to bring those shells to Hong Kong because as you well know, during our meeting with the Hong Kong authorities, we allowed them to conduct test fires aside from inspecting the bus where the hostage taking took place.

?However, we also agreed that all pieces of evidence related to the investigation that would be taken out of the country must first be cleared with the DoJ,? Salazar said a press briefing.

HK test fires

He clarified that the shells and slugs were not taken from the crime scene but came from test fires conducted by the Hong Kong police and forensics team, which is in the country to observe the Philippine investigation.

The Hong Kong team conducted their own test fire on Mendoza?s firearms in coordination with the PNP crime laboratory.

?The bullets are theirs. They can bring [the bullets] to Hong Kong. They will not be used in the Philippine investigation because the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation conducted their test fires,? he said.

Salazar said Li was not even part of the Hong Kong police team. He was just asked by the Hong Kong team to bring the shells and slugs to Hong Kong as he was the Chinese territory?s chief coordinator with the Interpol.

Asked who was to be blamed for the fiasco, Salazar said the Chinese side acknowledged being at fault.

Li declined to speak to reporters when he was let out of the PCAS office at around 3 p.m. He was boarded another Cathay Pacific flight, CX 919, to Hong Kong at around 4:45 p.m. Thursday.