The police arrested a barangay tanod and the husband of a former barangay captain in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, which led to the seizure of firearms, ammunition, and an explosive on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region said the first operation was carried out at around 5:02 p.m. in Hacienda Buenos Aires, Brgy. Consing, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, resulting in the arrest of alias “Patong,” 47, and alias “Ron,” a barangay tanod.
Police said “Patong,” identified as the husband of a former barangay captain, was reported by residents to have been firing a gun and allegedly using the tanod as armed protection despite having no registered firearm.
Authorities recovered two 12-gauge shotguns, a .45 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, assorted ammunition, magazines, empty shells, and a live grenade with pin from the suspects’ possession.
In a separate operation at around 9:20 p.m. in Purok Sto. Niño, Brgy. Buntis, Bacong, Negros Oriental, police arrested alias “Rum,” 31, who was allegedly involved in robbery incidents and was found in possession of an unlicensed .38 caliber revolver.
Recovered from the Bacong suspect were a .38 caliber revolver, eight live rounds of ammunition, and a belt bag.
Meanwhile, PRO-NIR said two more suspects were arrested in separate search warrant operations in Isabela, Negros Occidental, and Mabinay, Negros Oriental.
In Isabela, police arrested alias “Jer,” 29, a laborer and resident of Barangay Libas, on Jan. 26 after residents reported that he was allegedly showing off a firearm and causing fear in the community.
Police recovered a homemade 9mm pistol, a magazine, and three rounds of ammunition after firearms verification showed no registered firearm under the suspect’s name.
In Mabinay, operatives of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office arrested alias “Berto,” 47, on Jan. 27 following intelligence reports linking him to illegal firearms possession and other alleged armed activities.
Recovered from the Mabinay suspect were a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine and five live rounds, two marble guns, an improvised pellet gun, and a hand grenade.
PRO-NIR said the series of operations underscored its intensified campaign against loose firearms to prevent armed threats and maintain peace and security across the Negros Island Region.*