CHARGES for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Law and illegal discharged of firearm were filed against a resident of Escalante City over the weekend after he and his companions fired at a passenger bus in the northern Negros Occidental locality.
Lt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), identified the suspect as Joefel Sante, 19, of Purok Makiangayon 2 in the city’s barangay Balintawak.
Investigation showed that Sante and his four unidentified companions stopped the passenger bus of Ceres liner at Bonifacio Stop past 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.
The conductor and the driver of the bus, whose names are withheld for security reasons, told the police that they ignored the suspects and later saw them tailing on board three motorcycles.
Along the way, the suspects were firing at the bus which at that time had several passengers, they added.
Catalogo said the driver of the bus decided to stop in front of the detachment of 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company, where he and his conductor sought police help.
He said that the four suspects retreated when they saw the approaching policemen while Sante was left behind because his motorcycle malfunctioned.
Recovered from Sante’s possession were a .357 caliber revolver with four live ammunition and a fired cartridge case of the same firearm in the cylinder and his motorcycle, the police said.
Catalogo said they will check the background of the suspect and his companions.
He said they will establish whether they are responsible for robbery incidents in the area of Escalante City and Toboso.