5 suspected armed group members arrested in Davao Sur

SULOP, Davao del Sur – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested five men, including a village chief and a brother of a town vice mayor, suspected to be members of a  private armed group of a mayoral candidate in the province.

Major Francis Sonza, commander of CIDG-Davao del Sur, said the five men, who were on board a pickup truck, were found to be in possession of high powered firearms when stopped at a checkpoint along Kilometer 80, Barangay Kiblagon  at around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9.

The suspects were identified as Luis Barrios Duterte, 47, the driver; Willy Mangaga Alconera, 43, farmer; Reynaldo Jaloring Malayang, 41, village chief of Barangay Lapu-Lapu of Malalag town; Ramon Paras, 63, brother of Malalag Vice Mayor Roel Paras and Roger Neri, 58, a retired soldier and resident of Singaw, Kidapawan City.

Photo by Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao

The suspected armed group members are believed to be linked to Roel Paras, who is running for mayor in Malalag under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), Sonza said.

Sonza said the suspects yielded several firearms and rounds of ammunition.

“Some witnesses disclosed that these firearms were loaded into a pickup, which prompted us to take immediate action,” Sonza said.

He said the arrested men and the seized firearms were brought to the Sulop police station for proper documentation and filing of appropriate charges.

Paras could not be reached for a comment. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)