By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Eugene Angelo Gawat, who was criminally charged after a cache of firearms and ammunition were seized from his house in Barangay Banago here last month, was not the president of the Rotary Club of Bacolod South.
The Rotary Club Council of Presidents District 3850 in Negros Occidental denied that Gawat was their top official in reaction to a story titled “Rotary prexy charged over guns, ammos” that came out in this paper on July 2.
“We would like the rectification of the news item,” Raul S. Garganera, president of the Rotary Club of Bacolod, told this writer.
Gawat is only a member of Rotary Club of Bacolod South, Garganera clarified.
Regional Intelligence Unit operatives recovered high-powered firearms and boxes of ammunition from Gawat’s house at about 6:30 p.m. on June 25 at No. 85 San Fernando–San Carlos Avenue West, Sta. Clara Subdivision, Barangay Banago.
At the time of the raid, Tata Lacson was the president of Rotary Club Bacolod South while Dr. Chris G. Sorongon was “president-elect,” Garganera said.
Sorongon is now the president of Rotary Club Bacolod South following last week’s induction of officers, he said.
Garganera told this writer that the error has “dragged and imputed” the whole Rotary Club organization into the controversy.
The Rotary Club aims to promote community and humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill throughout the world.
Gawat was renting the house that the authorities raided on the strength of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 51 Judge Anita Guanzon–Chua. A certain Benjamin Jalandoni owns it.
Gawat was not around at the time of the raid. He was charged with violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, before the City Prosecutor’s Office here./PN
