Politician owns firearms at village chief’s house?

MANILA, Philippines – A cache of firearms and bullets seized at the house of a village chief in Cavite on Thursday reportedly belong to a politician, a source said yesterday.

The politician, said to be a member of the administration Liberal Party, entrusted the firearms and ammunition to Dennis John Bautista, 42, in Imus City for safekeeping.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Bautista following a raid on his house in Barangay Medicion 2-C.

Bautista was charged with illegal possession of firearms, gun parts and ammunition before a local court.

The source told The STAR the politician was planning to use the firearms in next year’s elections.

Several persons who called up the CIDG, asking to drop the case and return the firearms to Bautista, mentioned the name of the politician.

The agents refused to identify the politician.

Among the items found in the attic of Bautista’s residence were 11 handguns, four rifles and assorted bullets.

CIDG chief Senior Superintendent Ronald Lee said Bautista failed to show documents for the firearms and bullets.

Bautista admitted the firearms did not belong to him. He said he was asked to repair them.