Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President-CEO Emigdio Tanjuatco clarified, however, that “no firearms, just cartridges and bullet magazines were found in the possession of the Korean national.” Authorities from the Bureau of Customs (BoC) here seized the empty ammunition magazines, but immediately set free the Korean tourist after some questioning.
Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Ronald Santos said he would investigate the case which, he noted, was not brought to his attention.
Tanjuatco did not immediately have more details, but a reliable source from the BoC here, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to release information on the case, identified the Korean tourist as Kim Son Nal who arrived on board Asiana flight No. OS-707 from Incheon in Korea at about 1 a.m. yesterday.
Another source from the CIAC, however, insisted that the incident happened way back last Black Saturday but was kept secret for unknown reasons by the BoC based in this freeport.
“The x-ray personnel at the arrival area noticed the 111 empty magazines, so Kim was held for questioning,” the source said.
But the same source also said that the Korean was later set free without charges because it appeared that no law barred him for carrying mere arms magazines, without the bullets, although that is prohibited by Philippine laws,” the Customs source said.
While no charges would be filed against the Korean, Customs personnel seized the magazines. “It will be subjected for auction later to cover the expense of Customs duties,” he added.
The Korean reportedly insisted the cartridges did not belong to him and that a friend had merely asked him to deliver it to another compatriot here.
No further details on this was immediately available.
