CABANATUAN CITY – A retired military officer was arrested and the police reportedly recovered from his possession guns and explosives in a raid on his residence in Barangay San Francisco, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija Monday morning.
Former Army Col. Edito Nisnisan, former commander of the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion, yielded one hand grenade, one cal. 45 pistol, one .9mm pistol, three live ammunition for M79, and several rounds of bullets, according to the criminal investigation and detection team.
The haul was presented to Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta, chief of the Central Luzon police, at the Nueva Ecija police provincial office here. Chief Insp. Mario Ocampo, CIDT Nueva Ecija head, said his team swooped down on Ninisan’s compound on the strength of a warrant issued by Judge Angelo Perez of RTC Cabanatuan City for violation of Republic Act 9516 or illegal possession of fi rearms and ammunition.
Police said Nisnisan’s neighbors complained of alleged indiscriminate firing activity by the former military officer. Nisnisan admitted ownership of the guns but denied knowledge of the presence of the hand grenade.
He also admitted the lack of documents to cover his guns. He maintained though the firearms were intended for self-defense. Petrasanta meanwhile stressed the police intensifi ed drive against illegal firearms as the village elections draw near.
The provincial police office has so far netted at least 27 different kinds of firearms in various checkpoints and service of warrants as about 100 villages were being closely watched due to expected intense contest among aspirants.
