Cops nab man in Occidental Mindoro for carrying pistol

CITY OF CALAPAN – Police arrested a man on Thursday in Sablayan town in Occidental Mindoro province after he showed off his pistol to his drinking buddies in a boarding house, violating the gun ban in effect for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Roberto Escopete, 46, a resident of Barangay (village) Malisbong, was having a drinking spree with his friends at Sanchez boarding house in Barangay Sto. Niño when he drew a caliber .45 pistol from his waist then put it on the table at about 3 a.m., according to Supt. Imelda Tolentino, Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan (Mimaropa) police information officer.

Unknown to the suspect, a military intelligence operative was present in the boarding house. He then informed the police of the incident.

Police who responded to the boarding house caught Escopete holding the weapon and arrested him. Police seized the pistol with its magazine containing two rounds of live bullets.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits the use and carrying of firearms by åcivilians during the local elections from April 14 to May 21, 2018.