Cops accost 2 men near Apostolic Nunciature ahead of pope's arrival

MANILA, Philippines - At least two shady men at the corner of Taft and Quirino avenues were pulled aside by cops before Pope Francis' motorcade passed by on Thursday night.

One was stopped when he crossed the barricaded street with a bicycle, where a small box was tied with ropes.

Cops immediately demanded that he open the package and ushered him to an open area away from the motorcade's route.

Another man wearing a white Barong Tagalog was plucked from the crowd and had a brief argument with policemen on the street restricted to spectators.

Maj. Xavier Celestial of the Presidential Security Group unit at the Apostolic Nunciature papal residence along Taft Avenue said, however, that no one was held in suspicion for attempting or causing trouble.

"Wala namang ganoong nangyari," Celestial told Philstar.com. "Maayos naman lahat."