MANILA, Philippines - An abandoned luggage and a backpack on a street in Manila caused alarm hours before the arrival of Pope Francis.
An initial report by the Metrobase of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), traffic personnel discovered a luggage in a trolley and the backpack
at the corner of P. Burgos and Maria Orosa Streets around 7:50 a.m.
The report said the unidentified man was seen running away from the luggage and the backpack.
MMDA traffic personnel immediately secured the bags and called for the police bomb squad.
After several minutes, the owner of the luggage and the backpack returned and explained that he took off to run after a street robber who snatched his wallet.
The man was released by the police when the bomb disposal unit cleared his bags of any explosive device.