Bus passengers carrying firearms arrested at Davao City checkpoint

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Two passengers onboard a bus from Surigao City are under investigation after authorities here found them carrying firearms at one of the city’s checkpoints on Monday, August 21.

Theresita Gaspan, spokesperson of the Davao City Police, said the passengers were carrying a backpack containing 7 .45 pistols with 6 empty magazines, and an UZI submachine gun with 3 magazines and silencer.

The passengers, Gaspan said, were riding a Bachelor bus with plate number WOY-113.

They were intercepted at a checkpoint in Sitio Licanan, Barangay Lasang, Bunawan District at around 9 am, a day after the end of the Kadayawan Festival.

Gaspan said the backpack was detected by a bomb-sniffing dog, but it turned out that “there was no IED (improvised explosive device) indication.”

She added that the driver of the bus and the rest of the passengers have been released.

Still under investigation are one passenger who rode from Lipata, Surigao City, and a conductor.

Several checkpoints have been set up in Mindanao since President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law last May 23 following the attack of local terrorists in Marawi City. 

Several members of the Maute Group – including the Maute patriarch and matriarch – were arrested at various checkpoints. – Rappler.com