ILOILO City – Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Brigadier General John Bulalacao warned village officials and village watchmen against carrying firearms especially that the election gun ban still takes effect.
The poll ban on weapons will end on June 12. Until then, village officials and tanods are not allowed to wield guns, especially unlicensed ones.
“Barangay captains, barangay councilmen and tanod members are not authorized to carry firearms, especially homemade guns. We will arrest them for illegal possession of firearms and for [violation of the] election gun ban,” Bulalacao said.
The PRO-6 chief fielded the warning after 12 tanods were caught carrying unregistered guns in Barangay Jayobo, Lambunao, Iloilo last May 12, right before the conduct of the 2019 midterm polls.
The watchmen were detained in the lockup cell of the Lambunao police station. They were identified as Romeo Libuna, 49; Jose Lavente, 62; Robert Cabolico, 53; Johnny Libuna Jr., 34; Elmer Legarde, 43; Bernabe Larroza, 35; Sunny Boy Latoza, 34; Ernesto Legarde, 56; Carlos Esmaya, 64; Ernesto Lastimosa, 58; Fedrico Compliza, 48; and Johnny Libuna Sr., 57.
Recovered from them were six 12-gauge shotguns, three .45-caliber pistols, one .38-caliber revolver, one .22-caliber revolver, .30-caliber pistol (break type), and several bullets.
Barangay Jayobo captain Milky Lira – who managed to flee the arresting officers – was also an illegal gun possession suspect.
The police recovered two Baby Armalite rifles, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .45-caliber pistol, and a .38 revolver from Lira’s Nisan Patrol vehicle.
“I already ordered my ground commanders to intensify their campaign against loose firearms. Dapat mag-conduct pa tayo ng maraming operations kasi marami pala ang mga armas sa mountainous areas in the region, especially sa Iloilo,” said Bulalaco./PN
