3 mayoral bets held in Caraga for gun ban violations

BUTUAN CITY –- Three mayoral candidates from Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur provinces were arrested for violating the gun ban days before today’s elections.

Police Brigadier General Gilberto DC Cruz, director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO13), said Jupiter Abulog, 40, a mayoral candidate in Rosario town, was the latest to be arrested in an operation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the police in Rosario town, Agusan del Sur.

Cruz said a search warrant issued by Judge Lou A Nueva of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 10th Judicial Region, Branch 7 in Bayugan City led to Abulog’s arrest for violation of the comprehensive law on firearms and ammunition, around 9:30 on May 11, after authorities confiscated six calibers .45 pistols, a caliber .40 pistol, an M16 rifle and bullets and magazines during the raid.

Two days before Abulog’s arrest, Mayor Roberto Luna Jr. of Lingig, Surigao del Sur and a village head running against him as mayor, were arrested for gun ban violations in separate police operations, according to Lt. Colonel Cholijun Caduyac, chief of CIDG-Caraga.

Police earlier named Luna among their high-value targets as he was included in the President’s narcolist. He was arrested on May 9, after police recovered from his possession a caliber .45 pistol, bullets and magazines, a KG-9 9-mm semi-automatic firearm, rifle grenade and several leaves of marijuana.

Police also claimed to have found some P2 million cash–all in P100 peso bills–with sample ballots.

In a separate operation, Barangay Tagpoporan Chair Edgar Acdog, who is running for mayor in Lingig town, was also arrested for violation of the gun ban.

CIDG members and the police recovered from Acdog a baby Armalite assault rifle, KG-9 9-mm semi-automatic firearm and several rounds of ammunition.

Also arrested with Acdog was his bodyguard known as Lolo Kislan and Alvin, wanted for the case of frustrated murder.