Guardo's cousin reports armed men in mountains

Police are now checking on reports of seven armed men conducting a checkpoint in barangay Buot-Taup, a mountain barangay in the city's south district.

A certain Ariel Guardo, cousin of the congressional aspirant Jonathan "Atan" Guardo, reported to the city police office Service Security Group about coming across the armed men the other day.

Ariel said while he and a relative, Philip Guardo, were passing by the barangay seven unidentified men wearing black uniforms and brandishing high-powered firearms flagged them down to the side of the road.

The men were conducting a checkpoint but Ariel said they did not show any IDs or have any signage showing they were attached to any Comelec, police or military unit.

Sr. Supt. Mariano Natuel, chief of the Service Security Group said they are now verifying the incident as he has not ordered his men in the mountain barangays to conduct checkpoints that day.

Natuel also said they have received similar reports about the same area in the past but verifications turned up nothing.

"Duna nay mga previous report nga dunay mga allegations about the presence armed persons dihang dapita pero so far pulos negative, pag-verify nato didto dunay mga nangabot nga mga lalaki pero dili sila armado," Natuel said.

South district congressional aspirant Jonathan Guardo admitted that Ariel is his cousin and is closely helping him in his business and political activities.

But he clarified that their presence in the area is not related to election but the distribution of samples of their Arthro food supplements.

"Wala pay campaign period, nag-sampling ra mi og Arthro didto mao ra nay among tuyo didto," Jonathan said.

A few days ago, Mayor Tomas Osmeña, a staunch ally of south district reelectionist Rep. Antonio Cuenco ordered more policemen deployed in the mountain barangays after receiving several complaints from the barangay officials about the presence of armed men. - Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP