Pistol-toting trader jailed for road rage

A businessman landed in jail allegedly for aiming his pistol at a fellow motorist during a traffic altercation and taunting the policemen who responded to the disturbance in Manila early Saturday.

The Manila police arrested 40-year-old Peter Mark Chua for grave threats, resistance and disobedience to persons in authority, and violation of the election gun ban following the road rage incident at the corner of Dapitan and E. Quintos Streets.

Supt. Mannan Muarip, commander of the Manila Police District’s (MPD) Sampaloc station, said Chua was driving his brand new Chevrolet Trailblazer when it hit the passenger jeepney driven by Ludovico Lomahan, 30, around 12:30 a.m.

A heated argument broke out between the two men until Chua, who was in the vehicle with his wife Angelee, pointed a .25-cal. pistol at Lomahan, a resident of Sampaloc.

A barangay official saw them and alerted the MPD.

As a team from the Sibama community precinct, led by Insp. Jerry Bravo, approached Chua, the businessman let out a slew of expletives at the officers before he could be taken into custody, Muarip said.

Aside from the .25-cal. pistol, the arresting officers also found a 9-mm pistol and two loaded magazines in Chua’s vehicle. Both firearms are licensed, Muarip said.

Chua, who is also a Sampaloc resident and reportedly a wholesale distributor of umbrellas, remained in detention at the Sampaloc station at press time.

A nationwide gun ban took effect on Jan. 10, the start of the election period leading to the May 9 polls. During the period, no one may carry or transport firearms in public places, including any building, street, park, private or public vehicle, even if licensed to possess or carry guns, unless authorized in writing by the Commission on Elections.