Plane passenger held for gun, bullets

Plane passenger held for gun, bullets

MANILA, Philippines — A departing American passsenger was held at the Clark International Airport after an unlicensed firearm and eight bullets were found in his carry-on bag.

The passenger, whose name was withheld, was bound for Bangkok, Thailand on a Cebu Pacific flight.

Personnel of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) stopped the American at the final security check on April 25.

OTS x-ray scanner and screening officers Riel Valenzuela and Bernard Niedo alerted the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Unit based at the Clark airport after detecting suspicious images resembling a firearm and bullets in the passenger’s bag.

The passenger admitted owning the bag and failed to present documents for the firearm and bullets.

OTS officer-in-charge Jose Briones Jr. commended his men for being alert, saying the incident is proof that the security screening process at airports is effective.