Despite raid: "Clandestine" gun-making in Danao continues

CEBU, Philippines - The closure of a gun-manufacturing cooperative in Danao City has not hurt much the other families who rely on it as their source of living, said Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale.

Magpale, who is from Danao City, told reporters yesterday that some clandestine gun manufacturers who are not members of the cooperative remain in the area.

Magpale said these manufacturers do not want to be wage earners, which is what they would be when they become members of a cooperative.

She was one of those who started the move to legalize the gun making in Danao City but they failed to get the support of the National Government.

One of the proposals they presented was for the National Government to purchase from Danao City the guns for the police and the military.

Gun making in Danao City may not be the major source of living of the people, Magpale said, but a lot of residents are in this industry especially those in the mountain barangays.

Thirteen members of the Workers League of Danao Multi-purpose Cooperative (WORLD MPC) in Danao City were arrested during the raid conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7.

They will be detained for about a month as they filed a waiver of detention to allow them to file a counter-affidavit against the CIDG for allegedly raiding and arresting them without legal basis.

The names of the suspects were reportedly not listed as subjects in the search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Silvestre Maamo.

It was only Florito Roble, the current appointed cooperative chairman, who was listed as subject of the warrant.

The CIDG-7 filed a criminal complaint for illegal possession of firearms against the 13 members who were inside the factory that was operating with an expired permit.

WORLD MPC is one of the licensed gun manufacturers in Danao City.

However, the cooperative failed to renew its license, which expired last December.   - (THE FREEMAN)