Shotguns seized from Parañaque city security men in land dispute

MANILA, Philippines - Police said they seized at least six shotguns from four Parañaque city security men guarding a lot that Mayor Florencio Bernabe claims to be city government property.

However, Bernabe said Jaime Denamarca, 53; Federico Serido, 52; Leonardo Casipe, 41; and Antonio Magpoot, 34 were unarmed at the time they were arrested.

On the other hand, Inspector Reynando dela Peña, Senior Police Officer 1 Richard Padua, Police Officer 1 Dionisio Palce and Police Officer 1 Dennis Ancheta, all detailed with Police Community Precinct 7, executed a sworn statement that they confiscated at least six shotguns from the suspects.

The policemen said when they arrived at Lot 5155 at the corner of Kabihasnan street and Coastal Road in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque, businessman Bernardo de Leon, 56, pointed at a tent where the guns are allegedly being kept. De Leon had called the police station for assistance.

The policemen said when they searched the table inside the tent, they found six shotguns hidden in the drawer. They confiscated the guns and arrested the four suspects, the policemen added.

The four city security men were assigned to monitor activities in the compound, which belongs to the city government, Bernabe said.

De Leon said his family owns the lot and they allowed close to 200 families to live there.

They have already filed charges of grave threat, coercion and violation of the election-related gun ban against Denamarca, Serido, Casipe, and Magpoot, after they allegedly poked a shotgun at resident Jonelyn Deluyas during a confrontation on the morning of Jan. 14, he added.

However, Bernabe, said De Leon is an “adverse claimant” to the lot, which the Philippine Reclamation Authority (or PRA, formerly known as the Philippine Estates Authority) had donated to the city government in exchange for unpaid real property taxes.

The PRA has issued a “deed of donation” to the city government, he added.   – Rhodina Villanueva