Davao mayor, 6 others held for illegal possession of guns

MANILA, Philippines - Elements of the Intelligence Group of the Philippine National Police arrested last Thursday the mayor of Jose Abad Santos town in Davao del Sur and six others for illegal possession of high-powered guns.

In a report to PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome, PNP-IG director Charles Calima identified those arrested as Jose Abad Santos Mayor James Joyce, Ronnie Pandamon, Arnel Dionesio, Victorino Venancio, Hernan Miguel, Floro Arquillano, and Boroy Tilo.

Dionesio and Venancio are members of the town’s civil security unit.

Calima said the suspects were arrested during an early morning raid in Sitio Talisay, Barangay Cabuaran Small in Jose Abad Santos town by combined elements of the PNP-IG, 4th Special Action Force Battalion and the provincial police led by Superintendent Leonardo Felonia, chief of the Region 11 intelligence unit.

Calima said the police raiding team was armed with a search warrant dated July 25 and issued by Judge Marino de la Cruz Jr. of the National Capital Region Regional Trial Court Branch 22.

Seized from the suspects were 12 firearms – four M-16 Armalite rifles, two 5.56-caliber Bushmaster rifles, an AK-47 assault rifle, a 5.56-caliber Tavor assault rifle, an Ingram machine pistol, a .40-caliber STI pistol, a .45-caliber Colt Mark IV pistol, and a 9-mm Taurus pistol.

Also confiscated were a rifle grenade, assorted magazines, and assorted bullets.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives have been filed against Joyce and the six other suspects before the Davao del Sur provincial prosecutor’s office.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group also busted an armed group in Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur last Thursday.

“The operation is part of our efforts to account for loose firearms and instruments of violence to ensure peaceful elections as directed by the President and the PNP chief,” said CIDG chief Samuel Pagdilao Jr.

Arrested in the raid were Domingo Bariquit, a barangay chairman; Abraham Apat, Julian Paica, and Ivan Colot Luayon.