ORMOC CITY-The local police manning a checkpoint were stunned to have seized gun, ammunition and suspected shabu from a passing motorcycle driver at about 11 pm on Friday (April 5) along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion 1, Hindang, Leyte.
Hindang chief of police, Captain Rushty Alvarado, identified the suspect as Alejandro Recto, 41, with live-in partner, jobless and a resident of Brgy. Matapay in the nearby town of Hilongos, Leyte.
Alvarado said in an interview that around 9 pm on Friday, April 5, 2024, he led the conduct of a simultaneous checkpoint in their town.
He said that during the course of their operation PSSg Aline Notarte, saw in plain view the handle of an unknown caliber of firearm tucked on the waist of the suspect who was driving a Honda XR 125 bearing plate number 38174 motorcycle.
Upon verification and confrontation, the suspect failed to present any proof of legitimacy to possess any firearm.
Recovered from possession was a Colt automatic caliber .45 loaded with a magazine with five live ammunition of caliber .45.
Incidentally, a clutch bag of the suspect when searched also recovered 15 sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated weight of seven grams and an estimated market value P40,000.
Charges of violation of RA 10591, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Possession of Firearms, ammunition of explosives, and violations of section 11 (possession of illegal drugs), Section 12 (possession of paraphernalia) of Art II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs 0f 2002 were filed against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Hindang municipal police station.
(ROBERT DEJON)
