AGENTS of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested five men, including three barangay chairmen, for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
PNP-CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said the arrests were part of the police’s stepped-up effort to account for more illegal guns that can be used to commit violence in the streets, particularly during the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Caramat said the suspects were arrested in separate anti-crime raids in Cagayan Valley conducted on the strength of five search warrants for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.
The search warrants were issued by Ilagan, Isabela Executive Judge Andrew Barcena.
The official said the target of the raids were the suspects from Sto. Tomas, Isabela who have been monitored to be keeping illegal firearms.
One of the suspects identified as Eduardo Talaue Jr., chairman of Bgy. Centro Poblacion, yielded a 12-gauge shotgun with 16 live ammunition, and a cal. .45 pistol with magazine containing three bullets.
Francis Mamauag, the incumbent chairman of Bgy. San Roque, was nabbed for unlicensed cal. .45 pistol with magazine loaded with seven live ammunition.
The third suspect, Jimmy Paeste Jr., chairman of Bgy. Colungaun, was found in possession of a cal. 5.56 M-16 automatic rifle with magazine containing 30 live ammunition and a cal. .45 pistol with three stainless magazines.
The fourth identified as Jayson Paeste yielded an M-16A1 automatic rifle with five magazines containing 182 bullets, a cal. .45 magazine with six live ammunition, and 49 cal. 9mm bullets.
Caramat said that while his men were searching the residence of the Paestes, Joey Asco introduced himself as a security guard of the target.
Asco was also placed under arrest when he failed to present pertinent documents for a cal. .45 pistol with two magazines containing 27 live ammunition.
Charges for violation of RA 10591 were filed against the arrested suspects.
