Newly elected Batangas village chief, 2 others yield illegal firearms

(Left) CALABARZON police director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar following the arrest of village chief Jay Monterola (right, in white shirt) for illegal firearms. Photo by Calabarzon PNP

SAN PEDRO CITY – A village captain and his two cohorts were arrested in a police operation for hoarding unlicensed firearms in Sto. Tomas town, Batangas province early Tuesday.

Members of the regional special operations unit, armed with a search warrant, arrested Jay Monterola, barangay captain of Sta. Clara around 5 a.m., according to Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Calabarzon police director, said.

The warrant was issued by judge Agripino Morga of the regional trial court branch 29 to 32 in San Pablo City, Laguna.

Police recovered a carbine rifle, two .45 caliber pistols and several ammunitions.

Also arrested were Crizaldo Castillo and Samuel Gordoro, who police said, acted as the village chief’s “bodyguards.”

Monterola was previously elected as village councilor, but took over the position of the former village chief Leonor Angeles, who died in October 2016, said Batangas police chief Senior Supt. Edwin Quilates in a text message.

Monterola then ran and won as village captain in the recently concluded barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on May 14.