Quezon councilman, watchman nabbed for illegal guns

This composite photo shows an M-16 (top) and an AR-15 assault rifles. FILE PHOTOS

LUCENA CITY – Police have arrested a village councilman and a barangay tanod (watchman) in Tiaong town in Quezon province on charges of illegal possession of firearms, police said Saturday.

Police report said Tiaong policemen armed with search warrant swooped down on the house of councilman Ronilo Magnaye, 36, in Barangay Tamisian on Friday evening. The raiders seized an M16 assault rifle, two magazines and 60 bullets.

Police also raided the house of tanod Crispin Lantay, 49, of the same village, and seized a caliber .45 pistol with magazines and eight bullets and an modified M14 rifle with one magazine and four bullets.

Magnaye and Lantay are detained at the Tiaong police jail. Both operations were witnessed by the suspects and other village officials, the report said.

The suspects will be charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition under Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition. CBB