4 gun ban violators arrested in Midsayap, Cotabato

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MIDSAYAP, Cotabato – Police arrested four men, including an aspiring village official for violating the election gun ban here on Tuesday.

Midsayap police chief Lt. Colonel Peter Pinalgan Jr., said the police officers were manning a checkpoint in Barangay Bual here at around 6:30 p.m.when they flagged down a white pick-up truck without licensed plate.

“Our police officers were implementing the gun ban based on the plain view principle when they noticed what appeared to be a pistol protruding from the waist of one passenger,” Pinalgan said in a radio interview.

The four, who were asked to alight from the vehicle, were frisked and later yielded four .45 caliber pistols and two M-16 rifles.

“They (could not present a) gun ban exemption from the Comelec (so) their guns were unlicensed,” Pinalgan said.

He said the police were still investigating the suspects and had turned over the firearms to the Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory for validation and cross-matching.

Pinalgan said one of the arrested suspects was a candidate for chairman in Barangay Sambulawan.

A formal complaint for violation of election gun ban and Republic Act (RA) 10591, or the comprehensive law on firearms and ammunitions, are being prepared against the suspects.

The arrest of four armed men came after an aspirant for barangay chairman of Malingao here, was shot dead in front of the town hall, hours after he filed his certificate of candidacy on Tuesday.

The two assailants fled on board a motorbike after shooting Haron Dimalanis, 40, who died minutes later in the hospital.

 gsg