Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Nueva Ecija top cop vows continued drive vs loose guns

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija - The election gun ban has lapsed but the intensified drive against loose firearms will continue in the province.

Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO) issued this warning following the arrest of a businessman who was found possessing a .45 cal. pistol with several rounds of live ammunition, magazines and silencers and bullets for M-16 Armalite rifle Thursday morning.

Aliggayu identified the suspect as Danilo Bautista, 54, a resident of Barangay Luna, Santa Rose town.

"We will continue to operate against loose firearms, some of them are in the hands of criminal elements, some are in the hands of people who failed to renew their licenses," he said.

The Commission on Election's (Comelec) gun ban which was imposed since September 25 for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, lapsed on November 10.

Aliggayu said elements of the Provincial Peace and Security Company (PPSC) and Santa Rosa police swooped down on the residences of Bautista simultaneously in Barangays Luna and Gomez at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Ramon Pamular of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 of Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo, PPSC head, said they have also recovered from Bautista's residence 14 fruit game machines.

The searches were witnessed by Barangay officials and Bautista himself, Okubo said.

Aliggayu said charges of illegal possession of firearms and illegal gambling are being readied against the suspect. (PNA)

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