Senior Inspector Angel Bondoc, town police chief, identified the suspects as Ruel Magsangay, 23; Rudy de Guzman, 54; Edwin Soliven, 30; Reynaldo de Pano, 50; Cesario Yarte, 44; all residents of Barangay La Purisima, La Paz, Tarlac; Jayson Miguel, 21; of Barangay Guevarra, La Paz, Tarlac; Paulino Fontanilla, 42; Jerry Yakap, 43; Geronimo Collo, 51; Dionisio Godoy, 47; Alfredo Yakap, 53, all of Barangay Bantug, Asingan, Pangasinan.
Aslo arrested was Damaso Apilado, 46, from Barangay Santiago Norte, San Fernando, La Union.
Recovered from their possession were five 12-gauge shotguns, one grease gun, magazines for the said weapons and several rounds of bullets for various guns, including Garand rifle and cal. 45 pistol.
Bondoc said the operation was conducted by the police after the station received a telephone call which said that a group of armed men were stationed in the vicinity of Barangay Panabingan and were allegedly threatening farmers. The manner of threats was not specified though.
“Upon arrival,” Bondoc said, the policemen found the suspects “in a tent.” The suspects reportedly identified themselves as private security guards but “they could not present any legal documents.”
Bondoc said criminal charges of for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions, grave threats and grave coercion were being filed against the suspects.
