US Army man caught with pistol in Caticlan port

B: Jennifer P. Rendon 

An active member of the United States Armed Forces was caught with a pistol while trying to enter Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.

Tevin Lavell Vaughn, 24, an Army serviceman, was arrested 6 a.m. of July 8, 2019 at the entrance screening area of the Caticlan Jetty Port.

Vaughn, who hails from Hagerman, New Mexico, USA, yielded a black caliber . 9mm (M&P8 Shield Smith & Wesson) pistol with eight ammunitions in its magazine.

Maria Ella de la Torre, the duty x-ray machine operator, reportedly noticed the gun’s screen image, as she was scanning the soldier’s backpack.

Police Major Jess Baylon, Malay police chief, said the suspect was with a Filipina companion.

Vaughn reportedly met the women online and he decided to visit her in Pampanga. He stayed in Pampanga for five days until the couple decided to visit Boracay Island.

They travelled early morning of Monday on board a vessel from Batangas.

“Vaughn told police investigators that the gun was always at his back while he was in the US,” Baylon said.

He allegedly forgot to unload it from his bag when he travelled to the Philippines.

Apparently, the gun’s presence was not detected until he reached Caticlan Jetty Port.

Vaughn is now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).