By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A 10-wheeler wing van truck from Cebu was intercepted by authorities on Saturday at the Danao Port in Barangay Old Poblacion, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

Escalante City Police Station chief, Police Major Gil John Despi, said that eight .45 caliber pistols were recovered at the wing van truck loaded with feeds driven by Juanito Chua, a resident of Barangay La Granja, La Carlota City.

Seven .45 caliber pistols wrapped in plastic and newspapers and placed inside a cartoon were recovered behind the driver’s seat while another pistol was recovered from the possession of Chua, Despi said.

Initial investigations of the Escalante City police showed that Chua claimed that he was asked to transport the firearms from Cebu to Negros Occidental.

Howeve, Despi said they are looking into the possibility that the delivery of essential goods from Cebu to Negros is being taken advantage by gunrunners in the transport of firearms because of instructions not to delay them, in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that when he was informed by his police counterparts in Cebu, he gathered operatives of the Highway Patrol Group and Philippine Coast Guard and intercepted the wing van truck at the designated control point at Danao, where vehicles from Cebu are being checked for unauthorized transport of locally stranded individuals and for disinfection./DGB, WDJ