Eastern Samar village chief nabbed for violating gun ban – police

TACLOBAN CITY — A village chairman from the town of Oras in Eastern Samar province was arrested for allegedly violating the gun ban on Thursday afternoon.

Leo Quimada, 46, village chairman of Nadacpan, was arrested while inside a public market located in Barangay Tingib at around 8 a.m.

Police Major Jose Tiu, the officer-in-charge of the Oras police station, said that a concerned citizen called their station to inform them that the suspect had a firearm protruding in his waist.

Tiu, accompanied by two other cops, responded to the information and approached Quimada who did not resist arrest.

“He (Quimada) was in possession of one 9 mm pistol with 15 live ammunition, and extra magazines loaded with 13 live ammunition, and one 45 caliber pistol with eight live ammunition,” Tiu said in a phone interview.

Aside from the firearm tucked in his waist, the other firearm and ammunition were placed inside in a sling bag of the suspect.

“We asked him why he was carrying firearms. He told us that he did it for security reasons. But we don’t have any record stating that his life is in danger,” Tiu said.

Tiu added that the suspect failed to show any document which would allow him to carry a firearm as the gun ban is now being imposed across the country in relation to the forthcoming May elections.

Quimada is currently detained at the Oras town lock-up facility pending the filing of charges against him for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in relation to a resolution imposed by the Commission on Elections on the gun ban.

Since the gun ban took effect beginning Jan. 9, seven individuals across the region were arrested by policemen.