Village councilor, 2 others nabbed for gun ban violation in Batangas

LIPA CITY, Philippines —A village councilor, a sales agent and a seaman were separately arrested in Padre Garcia town Sunday night in Batangas province for violation of the election gun ban.

Captain John Conrad Villanueva, Padre Garcia police chief, identified the suspects as Castillo village councilor Gerardo Brucal, 54; Franco Ramil Robles, 43, seaman and a resident of Barangay (village) Payapa; and Arnel Gonzales, 41, sales agent and a resident of Barangay San Felipe, all from Padre Garcia.

Villanueva said Brucal was arrested 9:30 p.m. in front of an eatery where he was seen with a pistol tucked at his waist. Recovered from him were a caliber .45 pistol, two magazines for a caliber .45 pistol, 15 live bullets, a brown holster and a Permit to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence Card and Certificate of Firearm Registration.  Brucal, however, failed to present his Certificate of Commission on Elections Exemption for his pistol.

Gonzales was nabbed at about 6 p.m. Recovered from him were a caliber 9 mm pistol, two magazines for a 9 mm pistol, a black holster and; 14 live bullets for a  9 mm pistol.

Meanwhile, Robles was arrested 8:45 p.m. Seized from him were a caliber 9 mm pistol, a magazine for a 9 mm pistol and 16 bullets for a 9 mm pistol.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)