Man nabbed with gun, grenade in checkpoint

By: Jennifer P. Rendon 

A young man was arrested after yielding a firearm and a grenade at a police checkpoint in San Rafael, Iloilo on Dec. 3, 2019.

John Paul Baclagon, 20, was driving a motorcycle home to Barangay Bagacay, San Rafael when policemen flagged him down at Barangay Poblacion around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Police Corporal France Darullo allegedly frisked the suspect after a portion of what appeared to be a gun protruded from his waist.

When police checked, they found a homemade 12-gauge shotgun loaded with ammunition.

Further check on his backpack yielded a fragmentation grenade and three ammunitions for the 12-gauge homemade shotgun.

Police Lieutenant Martin Pugales, San Rafael police chief, said the suspect came from a friend’s house at Ilongbukid, San Rafael.

Baclagon told police authorities he carried with him the firearm as “protection.”

But Pugales revealed that the suspect was involved in theft and robbery cases three years back.

“He was into Akyat-Bahay and stealing from stores,” Pugales said.

But no criminal charges were pursued against Baclagon.

Pugales said the suspect was also driving without a valid driver’s license.

His motorcycle also had no registration documents. Baclagon claimed he bought the bike from a friend for P8,000.

The suspect is now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms Regulation and Ammunition Act) and RA 9516 or illegal possession of explosive.