Cop nabbed for violating gun ban

An intelligence officer of the Boljoon Police Station was arrested last Sunday in Argao town southern Cebu for allegedly violating the election gun ban.

SPO2 Carlito Amarillo, 47, was taken to the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s office yesterday afternoon after he was arrested while buying a goat at the Argao Public Market.

Police said Amarillo, who lives in barangay Binlod, Argao, had just got off from work in Boljoon and was heading home when he decided to drop by the market.

Amarillo was in civilian clothes with his service .45 caliber pistol tucked in his waistband.

Amarillo said he was confident that the Argao policemen knew him and wouldn’t mind if he brought his service pistol.

But Supt. Clifford Gairanod, Police Regional Office spokesman, was also at the market and noticed  Amarillo. He called the Argao police, who arrested Amarillo.

Boljoon Police Station chief, Insp. Rico Emperwa, said he sympathized with Amarillo because he was a hardworking police officer.

cop’s mistake

Emperwa said that Amarillo’s mistake was his failure to wear his uniform while carrying his service firearm.

Emperwa was referring to rules of exemption of the election gun ban of regular officers of the AFP/PNP  requiring them to wear their uniform if they carry their service firearms on their way home from work.

Emperwa said he did not  encourage his men to leave their guns at the police station because there’s no safe place to keep them.

Yesterday, Amarillo appealed to his superiors,  in a dyLa radio interview to forgive him as he cited his 23 years of being loyal to the PNP.

Amarillo will be detained at the Argao Police Station after the Provincial Prosecutor ordered him to answer the charges./Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan