5 ‘goons’ fall in Dumanjug

CEBU, Philippines - Five armed persons were arrested by the Dumanjug police yesterday afternoon while resting in a shanty in Barangay Paw.

The police received reports that they are goons of politicians but they refused to confirm the information pending tactical interrogation.

The suspects were identified as Bobby de la Cerna, 24; Leomar Angana, 25; his cousin, George Angana, 37; Jimmy de la Cerna, 19; and Roel Gutana, 22, all from Dumanjug town.

Confiscated from them were two KG9 pistols with two magazines and 20 bullets, a .45 pistol with a magazine loaded with three bullets, a .357 revolver with four bullets, a hand grenade and two knives.

Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia reported that the arrested men are goons of former mayor Cesar Baricuatro who is running for mayor under Liberal Party.

Garcia said that vice mayoral candidate, Efren Guntrano “Gun-gun” Gica, and his brother, Erwin “Wado” Gica, a candidate for councilor, went to the police station after the arrest of the five suspects.

“This will only prove that these people are their goons,” Garcia said.

Baricuatro maintained that he has no goons and that it is Garcia who has goons from Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.

SPO3 Felipe Vibar told The FREEMAN that they received a telephone call at 11 p.m. informing them about Bobby’s presence in Barangay Pawa.

Bobby has a pending arrest warrant for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 26 Judge Maximo Perez.

Vibar said the group was surprised to see the police and did not resist arrest.

Vibar revealed that one of the suspects, Leomar, recently posted bail for illegal possession of firearms, frustrated murder and illegal possession of illegal drugs.

They are now detained at the Dumanjug Police stockade while complaints for illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Comelec gun ban are being prepared. 

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador said they will coordinate with the local candidates and will be validating reports of the presence of armed who will be used by politicians.

But Dumanjug vice mayoral candidate Efren Gica of the LP said the arrest of the five armed men could not be linked to politics.

Gica said he checked the identifies of the arrested suspects and found out that one of them is a nephew of one of Garcia’s men.

He also confirmed that another suspect was his supporter in 2010 but he said he did not instruct them to carry guns. 

He explained that the acts of his supporters are beyond his control.

Garcia, who is seeking for re-election under One Cebu, earlier claimed that Gica and his runningmate, Baricuatro, hired goons to harass supporters of the opposition and were using police personnel for their own advantage.

But Gica said the people could attest that in their campaign sorties, they do not have armed men tagging along with them.

Gica called Garcia a ‘master of deception.’

“He is very good in fabricating stories,” said Gica adding that it is a public knowledge that Garcia is the one who has been using his power in the area to intimidate the people.

Gica claimed that Garcia has been using some police personnel of Dumanjug as his personal security detail.

Garcia earlier claimed that LP has been using the Regional Moblie Group and the Regional Public Safety Battalion of the Police Regional Office-7 to let LP’s armed men pass through checkpoints.

But Gica denied that the two law enforcement units are under their party’s command.

LP’s candidate for vice governor, Acting Governor Agnes Magpale, also denied that LP is using the RMG and RPSB, saying checkpoints are conducted to maintain peace and order. LP gubernatorial bet, Atty. Hilario “Junjun” Davide, said that Garcia is making up stories because he was threatened by the support the Dumanjug residents have given to LP.

In Malabuyoc, Vice Mayor Lito Narciso Creus of One Cebu Party also complained that the  elements of RPSB conducts checkpoints upon the instruction of Magpale.

Creus who is running for mayor told The Freeman that RPSB conducted checkpoints in front of his residence at least four times already.

Creus said they were told by the officers that they are under the instruction of Magpale when asked why they are conducting the checkpoint in front of his house.

“Ka taas sa national highway, nganong anha man sa amo’ng balay. Unsa ni harassment?” Creus said.

Creus also suspected that the uniformed policemen are being used by their opponents.

Those who were conducting foot patrol in mountain areas were also seen staying at the house of their opponents. — /MBG (FREEMAN)