3 escorts of Negros Occidental town mayor held for illegal firearms

Police arrested three security escorts of a town mayor for alleged possession of unlicensed firearms in Isabela town, Negros Occidental.

Florentino Lopio, Alexander Ferrer and Niel Larido did not resist arrest.

Lopio, Ferrer, and Larido, who were retired members of the Philippine Army, were reported as close-in security escorts of Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor.

The simultaneous raids in Barangays 8, 9, Libas and Tinongan—-all in Isabela, Negros Occidental—-were conducted by virtue of search warrants issued by  Judge Mila Yap Camiso.

Major Edison Garcia, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Office, said the operations resulted to the confiscation of three .45-caliber pistols, assorted ammunition, two magazines of a Thompson submachine gun, and nine empty shells of an M16 rifle.

The municipality of Isabela is among the areas being closely monitored by authorities as the elections draw near. /lzb