BANGUED, Philippines – Police on Saturday held an Abra town mayor and his three town mates for possession of firearms at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint here.
Seized from Luba Mayor Marcelo Biscarra and companions Federico Balboa, Mario Ambrosio and Joel Thomas were an M16 assault rifle, a Taurus 9mm pistol and assorted ammunition.
Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong said the mayor and his men were riding a Mitsubishi Pajero with license plate XBS 404 when flagged down by police along Abra-Kalinga Road on Harrison street, Zone 7.
The firearms and the vehicle were taken to the Bangued police station for the filing of a criminal case against Biscarra and his men, Magalong said.
The mayor was later rushed to the hospital after complaining of chest pains while in custody.
Meanwhile, policemen nabbed a notorious leader of the “Tandingan Guayen Private Armed Group†also last Saturday.
Operatives of the Regional Special Operations Task Group-Abra of the Cordillera police in Kabildatan here arrested Tandingan Guayen, 41, wanted for murder and robbery.