Mayor, village chief in Pangasinan nabbed for guns

MANILA, Philippines - A town mayor and a barangay chairman in Pangasinan province were arrested after policemen seized unlicensed firearms from their houses on Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan, acting director of the Pangasinan provincial police, identified the arrested local officials as Agno town mayor Jose Pejeta Jr. and Wilson Nivera, chairman of Barangay Gayusan, also in Agno town.

Chan said police raiders seized an M16 rifle and various ammunitions for high-powered rifles from Pejeta's house.

Seized from Nivera's house, meanwhile, were one . 45-caliber pistol; two magazine assemblies for .45-caliber pistol; one magazine assembly for M16 rifle; and more than 80 ammunition for .30-caliber, 12-gauge shot gun; M16, .38-caliber revolver, .45-caliber, and .30-caliber Carbine.

Aside from Pejeta's and Nivera's houses, Chan said that policemen also raided the house of a suspected member of a private armed group identified as Ruperto Batalla of Barangay Boboy.

Seized from Batalla's house were one 9mm Viper 2 pistol, one magazine assembly for 9-mm pistol, various ammunitions for 9-mm, .38-caliber revolver, and .45-caliber pistol.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms and for violation of the election gun ban are being prepared against the three, who were brought to the Pangasinan Provincial Public Safety Company in Alaminos City for investigation.