Police operations yield 4 firearms and arrest of 3 persons

May 27, 2019 Police Patrol Provincial

CAMP BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – The stepped-up campaign against loose firearms of the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR) led to the arrest of three gun holders and the confiscation of four short firearms and ammunition’s on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

In Abra, suspect identified as Arcadio Biyoc Reyes who was believed to be under the influence of liquor was arrested at Poblacion, Lacub, Abra Thursday night. Prior to his arrest, he was reported firing his gun in front of their house after a misunderstanding with his father.

The swift response of the personnel of Lacub police resulted in his arrest and the confiscation of one (1) Cal. 45 pistol loaded with one (1) live ammunition.

In Kalinga, one Alfredo Diyawan Balac, 55 was captured in the act of cutting logs into lumber in his kaingin near his residence at Sitio San Isidro, Cudal, Tabuk City, Kalinga Thursday afternoon. During his arrest, operatives composed of personnel of CIDG Kalinga and Apayao, PIDMB Kalinga, RIU-14 and Tabuk City Police Station found a Cal. 45 pistol and 5 live ammunition for Cal. 45. inside his mini bag. Said firearm and chainsaw without serial number used were confiscated.

Meanwhile, combined personnel of Station 1, BCPO, CIDGCAR and Benguet, and CIDMU searched the house of Roderick Lalata Mejia, 42, located at Brgy. Lourdes Proper, Baguio City which resulted in the confiscation of two (2) caliber .38 and 13 ammunition’s for caliber .38.

The search was initiated by virtue of search warrant issued by Judge Mervin Jovito S. Samadan, Acting Presiding Judge of the RTC Branch 70, First Judicial Region, Burgos, Pangasinan.

All arrested individuals, together with confiscated pieces of evidence are now under the custody of the concerned operating units and are facing charges for Violation of RA 1059 known as Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunitions.

Alfredo Balac was also charged for violation of PD 705 known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, in addition to his other charges.

The intensified police operations against unlicensed guns is part of the PNP’s Kontra Boga Campaign targeting unregistered and unlicensed firearms in the hands of threat groups, criminal elements and other civilian populace who initiate lawlessness in the community.

With such momentum, PROCOR endeavors to account and recover all loose firearms in the region the soonest. PBGen Israel Ephraim Dickson is appealing to loose firearm holders to surrender their firearms to the authorities to avoid being charged.

“You cannot escape from the long hands of the law forever with your illegal firearms, you better surrender them now then legitimize its possession”, he said.

ABN