Walter Lao, 48, incumbent village chief of Barangay Magdugo in Toledo City was arrested via virtue of a warrant of arrest for grave threats in the said city on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. | Photo courtesy of CIDG-7 PFU
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The village chief of Barangay Magdugo in Toledo City was arrested on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, via virtue of a warrant of arrest for grave threats while his bodyguard who was with him was also nabbed for possession of unlicensed firearms.
The arrest of Walter Lao, 48, incumbent village chief of Barangay Magdugo, was a joint operation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Cebu Provincial Field Unit (CIDG-PFU), 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), and Toledo Police Station.
According to a report from the CIDG-7 PFU, Judge Ruben Altubar, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court, 7th Judicial Region, Branch 29 of Toledo City on August 1, 2022, issued the said warrant. The bail for the accused is fixed at P360,000 for two counts of grave threats.
Jess Esguerra, 41, of the said barangay, is the bodyguard of Lao, who was arrested for possessing an unlicensed firearm. | Photo courtesy of CIDG-7 PFU
Lao’s bodyguard, identified as Jess Esguerra, 41, of the said barangay, was arrested for possession of an unlicensed .45 pistol. Esguerra was allegedly caught in the act of possessing this unlicensed firearm tucked around his waist while police were serving the warrant of arrest against Lao.
When asked if he has documents to prove that he had the authority to possess the firearm, Esguerra reportedly failed to present any, resulting to his arrest.
Esguerra will be facing formal complaints for violating Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulation Act.
These two are currently detained at the detention facility of Toledo Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
/bmjo
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