Filipino bodyguard of Kuwaiti ambassador nabbed for violating gun ban

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino bodyguard of Kuwaiti Ambassador Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari is now in hot water after he was arrested by the Makati Police for violating the election period gun ban imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Makati Police Chief, Sr. Supt. Manuel Lukban said Noel Aspa, 31, of the Accuria Executive Protection and Detective Services was arrested at 1:40 pm last Saturday at the entrance of the Ayala Greenbelt 5 mall.

Lukban said Aspa was stopped by a mall security guard as he entered ahead of the ambassador. When the guard asked Aspa to surrender his pistol before entering the mall, the bodyguard refused prompting the security guard to radio two nearby policemen for assistance.

With the presence of the two policemen, Aspa was forced to surrender his 9 mm Norinco pistol with a magazine loaded with 15 bullets.

Aspa was arrested after he could not produce Comelec documents granting him exemption from the election gunban.

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Lukban said Aspa had applied to the Comelec for an exemption to the gunban but his exemption application was still at the Comelec when he was arrested.

Aspa, said Lukban was also not wearing the uniform for security personnel as prescribed by the Philippine National Police.

“He was not wearing the prescribed uniform for an on-duty security escort with firearm. He was also not wearing the prescribed identification card which identifies him as an on-duty security escort,” said Lukban.