Man caught for having 5 unlicensed guns

CEBU - Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group yesterday arrested a businessman after a raid on his house in barangay Talamban, Cebu City, yielded assorted guns and ammunition.

CIDG-7 regional director Guillermo Eleazar said Noel Remedio, 32, married of sitio Kalubihan, Talamban, failed to present licenses of the guns that were confiscated from his house.

By virtue of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 9 judge Geraldine Faith Econg, CIDG agents led by Chief Insp. Rogarth Campo raided the house of the suspect where they recovered a .45 cal. Armscor pistol, a .380 Llama pistol, a 12-gauge homemade shotgun, two air rifles and 364 assorted live rounds.

The raid was witnessed by the officials of the barangay.

The CIDG agents secured a certification from the Firearms and Explosives Division that Remedio is not a licensed firearm holder, meaning whatever gun that may be found in his possession is considered illegal.

Remedio, a contractor of window grills, also admitted when interviewed by the reporters in his detention cell that he is not a licensed gun holder, but said he is willing to defend himself before the court.

He said one of his neighbors, who had been harboring a personal grudge against him, may have tipped the authorities that he is keeping firearms in his house.

Aside from the real guns, the CIDG agents also seized four airsoft rifles from the house of the suspect; a replica MP5 assault rifle and three replica M16 rifles.

The law provides that anybody who wishes to obtain or possess airsoft rifles is required to register them with the police, otherwise these will be seized in favor of the government.

Airsoft rifles are used by gun enthusiasts in war games. 

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old videoke bar customer was arrested for carrying an unlicensed gun past midnight last Tuesday in barangay Sangi, Toledo City.

The minor, a resident of barangay Luray II, was listening to a customer singing at Dog and Bones KTV Bar and Grill when elements of Toledo City Police arrived and arrested him.

PO3 Benidecto Bobilles, Jr., one of the arresting officers said that a barangay tanod, a certain Carl John, called their office prior to the incident informing them that one of the customers of the videoke bar was armed with a handgun.

Bobilles together with SPO2 Larry Pili and PO1 Dante Hilo immediately responded to the alarm and arrested the suspect who was alone and seized from his possession a homemade .357 revolver with six live rounds.

During interrogation, Bobilles said the minor alleged that he only found the gun along the road near his house two days ago. However, the authorities are not convinced.

Bobilles said they cannot confirm if the suspect is a gang member as alleged by the boy’s neighbors when they conducted an investigation.

The minor was taken to the police station for temporary detention but because he is a minor. He was later turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for proper disposition. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot and Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)