CABANATUAN CITY – Police here seized at least 29 assorted firearms formerly registered under the names of barangay officials in Nueva Ecija.
The guns are “unaccounted for” and are “subject to police operation,” ranking police officials said over the weekend.
Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director, said that the figure was part of the 131 firearms purchased by various local government units in Nueva Ecija and covered by the short certificate of registration being issued to barangay captains.
Police said that of the unaccounted firearms, ten came from San Antonio town, 10 from Gen. Tinio town; Science City of Munoz, 5; and Sto. Domingo, 5.
Aliggayu said police conducted an audit of firearms issued to local officials, including barangay captains prior to the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and urged them to come up with a report on their status.
“Failure to account these guns means that we will subject them to police operations,” Aliggayu said.
He added that this would also mean application for court warrants and searches. “They cannot deny ownership of these firearms since they have been registered under their names.”
Among the municipalities that bought guns for their security units and barangay officials were Quezon, Talugtog, Cuyapo, Sto. Domingo, San Antonio, Carranglan, the city of Gapan and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija with ten units each; Science City of Munoz, 20; and Gen. Tinio town, 15, police records showed.
Aliggayu also reported that 23 assorted firearms were confiscated in the implementation of gun ban for the village and youth polls from Sept. 25 to Nov. 10.
The guns were mostly recovered in checkpoints and inspections on various establishments, Aliggyu said.
But he warned gun holders that despite the lapse of the gun ban on Nov. 10, police will continue running after loose firearms.
“Some of them are in the hands of criminal elements, some are of those who failed to renew their licenses,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, a businessman yielded a cal. 45 pistol and 14 fruit game machines in a raid conducted by lawmen in his residents in Barangays Luna and Gomez, Santa Rosa Nueva Ecija on Thursday.
Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo, chief of the provincial police peace and security company, identified the suspect as Danilo Bautista, a contractor, who also reportedly yielded 77 rounds of bullets and silencers for M16 rifle.
Police said Bautista was charged with illegal possession of firearms and illegal gambling.
“The gun ban has ended but not our campaign against loose firearms,” the provincial director said.
The guns are “unaccounted for” and are “subject to police operation,” ranking police officials said over the weekend.
Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director, said that the figure was part of the 131 firearms purchased by various local government units in Nueva Ecija and covered by the short certificate of registration being issued to barangay captains.
Police said that of the unaccounted firearms, ten came from San Antonio town, 10 from Gen. Tinio town; Science City of Munoz, 5; and Sto. Domingo, 5.
Aliggayu said police conducted an audit of firearms issued to local officials, including barangay captains prior to the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and urged them to come up with a report on their status.
“Failure to account these guns means that we will subject them to police operations,” Aliggayu said.
He added that this would also mean application for court warrants and searches. “They cannot deny ownership of these firearms since they have been registered under their names.”
Among the municipalities that bought guns for their security units and barangay officials were Quezon, Talugtog, Cuyapo, Sto. Domingo, San Antonio, Carranglan, the city of Gapan and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija with ten units each; Science City of Munoz, 20; and Gen. Tinio town, 15, police records showed.
Aliggayu also reported that 23 assorted firearms were confiscated in the implementation of gun ban for the village and youth polls from Sept. 25 to Nov. 10.
The guns were mostly recovered in checkpoints and inspections on various establishments, Aliggyu said.
But he warned gun holders that despite the lapse of the gun ban on Nov. 10, police will continue running after loose firearms.
“Some of them are in the hands of criminal elements, some are of those who failed to renew their licenses,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, a businessman yielded a cal. 45 pistol and 14 fruit game machines in a raid conducted by lawmen in his residents in Barangays Luna and Gomez, Santa Rosa Nueva Ecija on Thursday.
Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo, chief of the provincial police peace and security company, identified the suspect as Danilo Bautista, a contractor, who also reportedly yielded 77 rounds of bullets and silencers for M16 rifle.
Police said Bautista was charged with illegal possession of firearms and illegal gambling.
“The gun ban has ended but not our campaign against loose firearms,” the provincial director said.
