Charges readied against Danao’s paltik makers

CHARGES will be filed today against the financier and the helpers found to be involved in the manufacture of paltik or improvised guns at the mountain barangay of Masaba in Danao City at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Supt. Rene Kiamko, Provincial Intelligence branch chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said the charges were supposed to be filed yesterday but the courts were closed due to tropical storm Basyang (international name Sanba).

Kiamko said he ordered a team to head to Danao City to search for the financier identified only as a certain Ronnel Gomez and an undetermined number of workers involved in making the paltik guns.

Kiamko said he believes Gomez is still in the region despite last Sunday’s raid of his shanty.

About 36 unfinished paltik guns and their ammunition were seized by police and later moved to the Provincial Police Headquarters in Sitio Sudlon, Barangay Lahug in Cebu City.

The firearms and ammunition were later presented to President Rodrigo Duterte during his Cebu City visit last Monday.

Gomez and his workers were placed under a three-week surveillance prior to last Sunday’s raid.

Police believed that the firearms were supposed to be sold to candidates running in this year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in May.

Danao City which is located 47.3 km north of Cebu City is considered as the “paltik capital” of the country.

Danao City officials reportedly tried to seek an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss legalizing the manufacture of paltik guns.