Former mayor, officer still to account for firearms

A FORMER Cebu City mayor, a controversial police officer and a Cebu City councilor are among those listed by Cebu City Hall for having failed to account for the service firearms issued to them or their security detail.

“We have been trying to send them communications but they still fail to produce the guns and return them to us,” said City General Services Office (GSO) chief Rolando Ardosa yesterday.

Those in the GSO list include former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, SPO2 Adonis Dumpit, City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, former barangay captains Felix Abella and Celerino Cabanca and former city assessor Palermo Lugo.

Also in the list were Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) section chief Apollo Dante, HDO officer in charge Veronica Morelos and former Assistant Department head Rene Sanapo.

Most of those who failed to return their guns were policemen assigned at the Cebu City Police Office that were transferred to another unit.

The GSO will send another notice to the 38 persons in the list.

Ardosa said they may seek aid from the City Legal Office should the persons in the list still fail to turn over the guns.

Former mayor Garcia said he never got hold of the guns issued to his detail.

“I never got hold of those guns. Why would I pack one? I know I have signed Memorandum of Receipts (MR) for so many guns but they gave it to the recipients, not to me,” Garcia told Cebu Daily News.

He said his name would normally appear since he signed the MRs.

Wenceslao, Cabanca, Morelos and Dante may also have to pay for the guns issued to them since they declared them as lost.

Ardosa said the city government has a surplus of revolvers since most recipients ask for either a .45 pistol or a 9mm pistol. Correspondent Edison delos Angeles