Raps filed against 8 arrested armed men

Three cases were filed yesterday before the Provincial Prosecutors Office against the eight men who were arrested for possession of guns and ammunitions after they turned over to the Madridejos Police two commercial fishing vessels they claimed to have apprehended off Tanguinge Islet, Bantayan, the other day.

Provincial Intelligence Branch Chief, Supt. Juanito Enguerra yesterday said 11 men were turned over to his office yesterday and eight of them are facing charges for usurpation of authority, illegal possession of firearms and violation of Commission on Elections gun ban while three are facing charges for usurpation of authority only.

The armed men claimed to belong to the ASEAN Anti-Communist League in the Philippines-Malacañang Active Combat Forces, and that their commander was a certain Oscar Torres. When Enguerra checked he found out that the group is not authorized by the government.

The group of eight, headed by Moises Batain, of barangay Tamiao, Bantayan, turned over to the police the vessels F/B Balberhope, owned by a certain Edwin Cornel of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental, and F/B AC5, allegedly owned by a certain Alex Chiong.

They also turned over arrested boat captains, Antonio Giltendez of F/B Balberhope, and Marcelino Placencia of F/B AC5.

The police however found Batain in possession of a .45 cal. pistol and his group had two .357 cal. revolvers, two .45 cal. pistols and an improvised shotgun. The police arrested them after they failed to present documents exempting them from the Comelec gun ban.

Batain's other companions were identified as Brian Moncal, Alexander Carbajosa, and Bernabe Legaspi of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental and Ebyn Canuguran of Carambayan of the same province, Carmelo Moreno of Cabangcalan in Negros Occidental, Florentino Ayaay of Bacolod City and Roldan Condiz of barangay Sillon, Bantayan Island. - Norvie S. Misa