An employee of the Bacolod City Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) was arrested after yielding a gun at an entry point to the MassKara Festival site at the Bacolod City Public Plaza, yesterday afternoon.

Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Edimer Villa, a resident of the Puentebella Subdivision, Barangay Taculing in the said city.

According to members of Police Station 1 (PS1), Villa tried to smuggle a caliber .357 revolver into the site.

Security at the Bacolod Public Plaza was tight yesterday due to the visit by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Villa, meanwhile, admitted to owning the gun but said it was only for self-defense.

He also acknowledged the ongoing gun ban, but didn’t know the president would be present.

Villa is facing criminal charges in violation of the gun ban and is presently detained at PS1./DGB, WDJ