Feliciano, Enriquez told to turn over firearms with expired licenses

San Fernando mayoral candidate Ruben Feliciano denies his involvement in the ambush on the group of incumbent Mayor Lakambini Reluya in Talisay City last January 22. | via Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director, Senior Superintendent Manuel Abrugena, has asked San Fernando town mayoral candidate Ruben Feliciano and a certain Neil Enriquez to turn over their firearms with expired licenses.

Feliciano and Enriquez submitted themselves to the CPPO on Monday for questioning after their names were dragged into the ambush against the group of San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya in Talisay City last January 22, which led to the death of her husband, Panadtaran barangay captain and Liga ng mga Barangay President Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr., and two others.

Feliciano is Mayor Reluya’s opponent in the mayoral race for the 2019 midterm polls. Enriquez, for his part, drew the attention of the police because of his Facebook posts claiming that the attack against Reluya’s group and the previous killings of other town officials were because of drugs.

Read more: San Fernando mayoral candidate denies involvement in Reluya ambush

Abrugena said that during their interview with Feliciano and Enriquez, they learned that both of them are gun holders.

He said that some of the firearms owned by Feliciano and Enriquez had expired licenses.

“At the end ng ating conversation kanina and interviews, napag-alaman po natin na they are gun holders, and they have expired licenses. Some of their firearms have expired licenses, and we encouraged them na yung kanilang mga firearms ay immediately i-turn over to the nearest police station,” Abrugena said.

Although he was not able to give the exact numbers of the firearms, Abrugena said both Enriquez and Feliciano had firearms that had valid and expired licenses.

‘Yes, [both of them have firearms]. I forgot the exact number of firearms with expired licenses, but doon po sa verification na aming ginawa, may mga firearms nila na licensed pa rin naman, yun ngalang may iba na nag-expire na yung licenses,” Abrugena told reporters after a closed-door meeting with Enriquez and Feliciano.

Abrugena earlier clarified that Enriquez and Feliciano are not considered as persons of interest in the Reluya ambush.

However, he said that the police needed to get their side since their names had surfaced in their investigations.

“Sa part ng PNP, they cannot be treated as persons of interest. Sila lamang ay na-imbitahan natin because in the course ng ating investigation, ng mga interviews, nababanggit po ang kanilang mga pangalan,” Abrugena said./dbs