MANILA – A California-based woman was held at NAIA Terminal 1 Saturday after initial check on her luggage yielded six bullets in her balikbayan box.
Jean Lolita Abad Manipud Robles, 45, of Morgenhill, California, was booked on flight BR278 bound for Taipei when the screener at Gate 2 departure entrance found six pieces of cal. 380 placed inside a green bottle and 27 pieces of cal .45 placed inside a matchbox inside her balikbayan box.
Robles claimed she accidentally brought the items, which were confiscated by authorities. After the incident was documented and Robles was interrogated, they allowed her to take her flight, following new policy adopted by aviation authorities following the uproar several months ago over the spate of bullets – usually just pne piece – “found” in their luggage, sparking the terms “tanim bala” and “laglag bala.”
