Guns, explosives seized from building used by expelled INC members

Quezon City Police District Deputy Director for Operations Senior Supt. Crisaldo Nieves, QCPD Director Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde and QCPD Deputy Director for Administration Senior Supt. Joselito Esquivel present the firearms and ammunition reportedly seized from the Iglesia ni Cristo compound on Wednesday. (PHOTO BY JHESSET ENANO / INQUIRER)

MANILA — Over 70 firearms, more than 17,000 live ammunition and explosives were seized by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) from a building in the controversial Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) compound in an operation on Wednesday night.

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, the QCPD director, along with National Capital Region Police Office Director Oscar Albayalde, presented the high-powered weapons in a press conference in the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal on Thursday morning.

The weapons were confiscated in an “abandoned building” allegedly formerly occupied by Lolita “Lottie” Manalo-Hemedez, sister of INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo, in No. 36 Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City.

Hemedez, her brother Felix Nathaniel–also known as Angel–and 30 others were rounded up by operatives on March 2 after a shooting that took place during a raid in their residence.

On Wednesday, the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office recommended illegal possession of firearms charges against Angel and Victor Eraño Manalo Hemedez for at least six firearms found in Angel’s residence. The prosecutor’s office recommended no bail for the ranking INC official’s younger brother.

The QCPD said on Thursday they were still verifying the licenses of the firearms and at least 27 explosives seized.  SFM/rga