Barangay Calamba Councilman Ramsy Mercado hides his face after a search in his house by the Cebu City police yields an alleged unlicensed firearms and several ammunition. |CDND Photo/Benjie Talisic
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The barangay captain, a councilman and a barangay tanod of Calamba in Cebu City were arrested pre-dawn today after searches on their respective residences yielded unlicensed firearms.
Armed with search warrants, police raided the houses of Calamba Barangay Captain Victor “Jojo” Quijano, Barangay Councilman Ramsy “Winston” Abello Mercado and barangay tanod (village watchman) Anthony Polpol Gingoyon based on information that they had been seen carrying firearms.
Chief Inspector Chuck Barandog, who led the City Force Mobile Company of the Cebu City Police Office that conducted the operation, said their searches were positive.
An inventory is still being done to determine the firearms found in their houses.
But based on the search warrant for Gingoyon, the police were looking for an unlicensed caliber 38 revolver. The search in Mercado’s house involved a caliber 45 pistol.
The search warrants were both issued by Regional Trial Court of Cebu Branch 10 Presiding Judge Soliven Peras.
Police have yet to say what were found in the home of Quijano./elb