Kawit barangay captain surrenders unlicensed gun to police

VILLAGE chief surrenders unlicensed firearm.

Fearing that what happened to Medellin councilor Ricky Ramirez would also happen to him, a barangay captain of the same town surrendered his unlicensed firearm to the town’s police chief last Friday.

Oscar Banzon, a former priest, who is now barangay captain of Kawit, went Medellin Police Station chief Senior Insp. Arvi Arbuis to turn over his unlicensed, Danao-made .22 caliber revolver for safekeeping, said PO2 William Guanzon, the station’s desk officer.

He said Banzon feared that he, like Councilor Ramirez, would also be arrested for illegal possession of firearms.

The house of Ramirez was raided last Wednesday by law enforcement agents, based on a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court.

Authorities confiscated several high-powered firearms and handguns.

Guanzon claimed that several town officials and gun owners, who have unlicensed firearms, had informed the police station that they would also surrender their firearms next week.

In 2013, Banzon ran and won as barangay captain of Kawit, Medellin despite the plea of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to distance himself from politics.

After filing his certificate of candidacy (COC), he was immediately suspended by Palma.

Under the canon law, any priest who seeks an elective office shall be suspended automatically of his priestly duties.

This means the priest could not celebrate the sacraments like saying Mass, hearing confessions and solemnizing marriages.