Cops seize grenades, ammunition in raid of Ampatuan mansion in Maguindanao

SHARIFF AGUAK, MAGUINDANAO — Police raided Tuesday the mansion of the late Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and seized grenades and ammunition.

Armed with search warrants for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition) and Republic Act No. 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives), the police led by Senior Supt. Danilo Bacas, regional mobile force battalion chief and Maguindanao police director Senior Supt. Ronald Briones raided the former governor’s house at Barangay Satan, Shariff Aguak at 6 a.m.

The mansion is about 500 meters away from the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade headquarters.

Briones said the raiding team seized two rifle grenade projectiles and 240 rounds of 5.56 live ammunition mainly used for M16 Armalite rifles.

“Unfortunately, we missed the six suspects who are the subjects of search warrants,” Briones said.

In a police report submitted to Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, police director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the raiding team identified the targets as Kamsa Salik, Kuryano Usop, Babai Mama Usop, Nasri Salik, Benjar Salik, and Pangandaman Salik.

They were believed to be part of Ampatuan’s private Army securing his mansion and those of his sons.

The Ampatuan patriarch was among the accused in the infamous Maguindanao massacre that left 58 persons dead, including 32 journalists.

The 74-year-old clan patriarch died at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City after suffering a massive heart attack while in jail.

Ampatuan Sr. was buried in his residential compound on July 18, 2015.

Briones said the police would continue hunting down the wanted persons./lzb