Private army member falls in Masbate

MANILA, Philippines - Combined government security forces arrested on Friday a suspected member of a private army in a raid in Masbate, a traditional election hot spot, the military said.

Lt. Col. Anthony Purugganan, commander of the Army’s 9th Infantry Battalion, said the arrest of Victorino Ruiz stemmed from the seizure of an M-16 Armalite rifle during a raid on his residence at Barangay Halabang Baybay in San Pascual town.

Ruiz has been reported to be a member of a private army organized by an unnamed local politician to be used for the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. Purugganan said the raid was covered by court order.

The suspect is presently detained at the police station of San Pascual town while appropriate charges are being readied against him.

Military and police personnel under the joint Special Task Force Masbate are now on heightened alert in preparation for the upcoming barangay and SK elections in the the province.

San Pascual town was the site of the deadliest poll-related violence during the May national elections after five people, including a town councilman, were murdered in a daylight ambush staged by suspected guns-for-hire.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division, said that a total of eight high-powered firearms have so far been seized by government security forces from suspected members of private armies since the reactivation of the combined military and police special task force two months ago in the province.