Guns seized; brgy chief nabbed

TOLEDO RAID

Reports of alleged harassment and indiscriminate firing of guns of a barangay official led to the arrest of a barangay captain and two others on Thursday in an establishment in Barangay Camban-ong, Toledo City.

Barangay Captain Antonio Canonigo of General Climaco, formerly Barangay Malubog in Toledo City, was arrested after he was served a search warrant at a business establishment that he owned, said Supt. Reynaldo Magdaluyo, Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas (RSOG-7) chief.

Magdaluyo said they confiscated a Cobra Sarsilmaz shotgun, a 9 mm pistol, assorted ammunition from Canonigo.

Ceperino Sanchez, 48, Canonigo’s brother-in-law and caretaker of the establishment; and Victor Cabusas, 36, a truck operator of Canonigo; were also arrested after they were caught with guns and ammunition in their possession.

Magdaluyo said Sanchez was caught with a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition while Cabusas was also caught with another .45 caliber pistol and ammunition.

The RSOG-7 chief said that the operation was conducted after they validated reports from residents about the alleged indiscriminate firing of guns of the barangay official and his alleged harassment of some of the residents.

Magdaluyo said after confirming the reports, they then got a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms in Danao City issued by Judge Jerry Dicdican of the Regional Trial Court of Danao City in northern Cebu.

Police served the search warrant against Canonigo at 5 p.m. on Thursday and arrested the barangay official and two others after they found the unlicensed guns and ammunition.

Canonigo, when sought for comment by Cebu Daily News, said he would not comment on his arrest.

Canonigo and the two other arrested persons would be detained at the Regional Police Office detention cell pending the filing of charges.