Lagtang captain Bas jailed for unlicensed gun, ammo

The firearm and ammunition which police confiscated from the Bas residence in Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City.
/Contributed photo

A Talisay City barangay captain spent the night in jail after he was arrested on Sunday morning for the possession of an unlicensed revolver and various ammunition.

Lagtang Barangay Captain Mark Ferdinand Bas admitted lack of documentation for his .22 caliber magnum revolver which he claimed was pawned to him for P1, 000.

Bas, 40, said he accepted the pawn thinking that he could use the revolver for self defense.

However, he denied ownership of the 42 live ammo for a 45 caliber pistol, 12 empty shells of 45 caliber pistol, 1 extended long magazine and 2 short magazines for a 45 caliber pistol, 42 empty shells coming from a 22 revolver and one hand grenade.

The grenade and the ammunition, he said, belonged to a cousin whom he did not name.

Bas remained at the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) on Sunday afternoon while police prepared a complaint for the violation of Republic Act 10591 or “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition and Providing Penalties for the Violation Thereof” against him.

A joint team consisting of members of the Talisay City Police Office, Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat), the Provincial Public Safety Company and PIB went to the Bas residence in Kishanta Subdivision, Barangay Lagtang at around 8:10 a.m. to serve a search warrant issued by Judge Jerry Dicdican of Branch 25 of the Regional Trial Court in Danao City.

Dicdican has directed the group to search for firearms, ammunition and explosives from the Bas residence.

Police Senior Inspector Nazareno Emya, PIB deputy chief, said they placed Bas on surveillance for one month before they applied for the search warrant.

Aside from owning firearms, police said that Bas also ranks no. 4 in the Talisay City Police Office’s list of high value targets.

His name is also said to be included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of barangay officials who are involved in the illegal drugs trade.

During their search, police found the revolver and ammunition kept on Bas’ bedroom.

Bas later told reporters that he is in a way thankful for the issuance of a search warrant against him because this would give him the opportunity to clear his name of the accusations of drug peddling and unauthorized gun ownership against him.

He said people who are feeding wrong information against him to authorities are “insane.”