Four men were arrested and assorted firearms and ammunition worth at least P400,000 were seized in two separate raids in Toledo City, southwest Cebu.
Police said they suspect that the arrested persons were members of a private armed group who could be used in the coming elections.
The raids were conducted Monday night by operatives of the Regional Special Operation Group (RSOG), an operating unit of Regional Intelligence Division (RID) in Toledo City.
Two search warrants issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Hermes Montero of Branch 59 in Toledo City were used in the raids.
The subject of the warrants was Roldan Paragaso Cansancio, who was allegedly involved in several killings in Toledo, Chief Insp. Goerge Ylanan said.
Cansancio was not around when police raided Dubay Beach resort in barangay Dumlog at 11:45 p.m.
The beach is owned by Cansancio, police said.
Police ended up arresting Richie Suarez, 33;
Lucio Yuson, 23 and Cesar Paragoso Sr., 70.
Police seized assorted firearms and ammunition from the three men.
Ylanan, chief of RSOG, said the operation was made after they received reports from fisher folks that they were threatened by the three men.
“They were guarding the resort carrying high-powered firearms and if some fishermen go near the resort, they would fire their guns to scare them away,” Ylanan said.
Ylanan said the three men failed to show documents to prove that their guns were licensed and they were authorized to carry guns.
Ylanan said the three men tried to evade arrest but were forced to surrender since the beach were surrounded by police.
Minutes later, the same arresting team went to barangay Canlumampao and swooped down on a piggery and poultry farm also owned by Cansancio.
Police also failed to find Cansancio there.
Police arrested Joy Laspuña, 40, of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, after he was spotted in the farm possessing a .45 caliber pistol and assorted bullets.
Police said the firearms recovered in the two raids will subjected to a cross-matching at the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory in Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City to determine if they were used in crimes, Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, chief of staff of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, said.
Carranza said they suspect that Cansancio was involved in the killing of Rene Embralinag, 42, of barangay Captain Claudio last February 22.
Embralinag was a body guard of Toledo mayoralty candidate and former senator John Osmeña.
The arrested persons said they were not involved in any illegal activities.
“Igo rami nagbantay sa baboyan og manukan (We were just watching the piggery and poultry farm),” Laspuña said.