ILOILO CITY—A young couple who had just spent their honeymoon on the island-resort of Boracay were detained at the Caticlan airport on Thursday for allegedly carrying bullets as they were about to board a plane for Manila.
The Malay police station was set to file a complaint for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act) at the Aklan provincial prosecutor’s office on Thursday against Jerome Sulit after 14 live bullets and an empty shell for a .22-caliber firearm were found in his sling bag.
Jerome, 28, a businessman, and his wife Rochelle, have denied owning and placing the bullets in the bag.
“They were surprised to find the bullets there and could not explain how it happened,” Senior Insp. Frensy Andrade, Malay police chief, told the INQUIRER.
Andrade said the couple refused to grant interviews to reporters upon the advice of their lawyer.
The couple, who had just spent four days for their honeymoon in Boracay, were detained at the Malay police station and were brought for inquest in the capital town of Kalibo.
Andrade said the complaint would be filed only against Jerome because he was in possession of the bag.
The bullets were supposedly spotted by Christian John Tesorero, security x-ray operator at the airport, around 11 a.m. on Thursday, according to Andrade.
Tesoreo called the attention of his superior and the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group who asked Jerome to empty the contents of the 8×8-inch bag.
Andrade said security camera footage showed that the sling bag was in Jerome’s possession when the couple entered the airport.
The Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (Caticlan airport) is among the busiest in the country catering mostly to domestic and foreign tourists bound for Boracay. CDG
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