Isabela mayor's escort nabbed in Pasig

MANILA, Philippines - A soldier acting as a bodyguard of Cauayan, Isabela Mayor Cesar Dy was arrested at a Pasig City police checkpoint Tuesday night for carrying guns while not wearing the proper uniform.

Senior Police Officer 2 Geminer Tingne of the Eastern Police District (EPD) district intelligence division identified the bodyguard as Juanito Argonza, 36, of Lallo, Cagayan. He said Argonza, clad in civilian clothes, was on board a white Toyota Land Cruiser (BCM-473) when it was flagged down at a police checkpoint around 11:10 p.m.

His identification card showed that he is currently assigned to the 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Gamu, Isabela.

Case officer PO3 Larry Palattao, who accompanied Argonza to the Pasig City prosecutor’s office for inquest yesterday, said “during visual routinary inspection on Argonza’s vehicle, a camouflage rifle bag was spotted under the passenger front seat.” The bag yielded an M-16 Armalite rifle with loaded with 27 bullets; a .40 Glock pistol with three magazines loaded with 35 bullets. However, Argonza was able to present pertinent documents pertaining to the confiscated weapons.

Tingne said it is already up to the court to decide. “The problem is, he was not in proper uniform during the time of the arrest,” he said, adding that Argonza was with a convoy as Dy was about to attend a party at that time.