Man arrested for carrying gun in Manila despite papal visit ban

MANILA, Philippines – Despite previous warnings not to bring guns and prohibited items during the papal visit, an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was arrested for carrying a gun in Manila on Saturday.

A certain Sonnyboy Annonat was apprehended initially for trying to pass through a road blockage along Quirino Avenue while riding a motorcycle.

Reports reaching the Philippine National Police showed that a 9mm pistol was found inside the man’s backpack when policemen manning the blockage accosted him.

Annonat was reportedly a confidential agent of the PDEA and a training instructor of a security agency. He will be facing charges of illegal possession of firearms under the new gun control law.

The incident happened at around 11 a.m. near the Plaza Dilao along Quirino Avenue in Paco, Manila.

The man was riding his Kawasaki motorcycle with a backpack on his back when he tried to pass through the blocked road, which was closed to vehicular traffic due to the papal visit.

He was flagged down by policemen from the Manila Police District, after which his bag was inspected and found to be containing a 9 mm pistol.

Annonat was able to present a letter order from the PDEA supposedly giving him authority to carry the weapon, but he did not have a permit to carry issued by the PNP.

Earlier, the PNP warned the public not to bring guns and prohibited items like alcoholic beverages and deadly weapons to the venues where Pope Francis would hold his public engagements.

This was because the venues for the papal visit were considered as places of worship, where such items were prohibited.