INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have arrested a man who reportedly went berserk and declared a bomb threat while aboard a ferry at the Port of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said in a statement Thursday that Salahuddin Absin Sapii was finally apprehended after a scuffle as the suspect resisted arrest on Wednesday night.
Gavan said the PCG received a report from a passenger that the suspect “tried to kill him and was running amok on board.”
Authorities responded to the scene and just as they were about to arrest Sapii, the suspect punched a Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) sea marshal on duty and attempted to acquire his service firearm.
Two PCG personnel helped the PMC sea marshal and successfully tackled the suspect.
While being arrested, Gavan said the suspect claimed he “planted two bombs on board the RoRo/ferry vessel” – prompting PCG sea marshals to advise the ferry captain to disembark all passengers.
PCG’s K9 unit subsequently launched an inspection of the vessel and did not find any explosive, hence, passengers were allowed to board the ferry again.
“The successful arrest of the bomb threat suspect who ran amok on board proves how professional, competent, and courageous our Coast Guard sea marshals are in fulfilling their mandated functions,” Gavan said.
The PCG said Sapii was brought to the Philippine National Police in Bongao.
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