Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) search the three houses in Bayawan City in Negros Oriental, one of which was allegedly the house of Congressman Arnolfo “Arni” Teves while the authorities believe that the two other houses searched by the authorities are believed by the CIDG to be owned by relatives of the congressman. | Contributed photo by Ferdinand Edralin
CEBU CITY, Philippines — More or less 15 short and high-powered firearms, explosives, and ammunition were recovered on March 10 from three houses in Barangay Malabugas, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
One of the houses raided in Bayawan City was allegedly owned by Congressman Arnulfo “Arnie” Teves and the two others that were believed to be owned by Congressman Teves’ relatives, said Police Colonel Thomas Valmonte, chief of the Legal Division of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in an interview with reporters.
Valmonte, however, clarified that these operations were not directly related to the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
The March 4 shooting attack against the governor also killed eight others and wounded 13 individuals.
The CIDG official said that the implementation of search warrants on five houses, including a beach resort in Basay town, was part of the CIDG’s flagship program against loose firearms.
The search warrants were issued by a Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City.
Three houses in Bayawan City, one of which was allegedly owned by Congressman Arnolfo “Arni” Teves, were searched by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group after a search warrants were served. | Contributed photo by Ferdinand Edralin
“Sari-saring mga armas, pistols, short firearms, long firearms, explosives like grenades, and yung mga bala…wala pong license,” Valmonte said.
(Different firearms, pistols, short firearms, long firearms, explosives like grenades, and the bullets…they have no license.)
“Ito ay pursuant sa flagship project ng CIDG na Oplan Paglalansag against sa illegal firearms. Wala [relation to killing of Governor],” he added.
(This is pursuant to the flagship project of the Oplan Paglalansag of the CIDG against illegal firearms.)
Valmonte said the operation was based on the reports they received about the presence of loose firearms in the area.
He said that the two houses in Basay town were owned by Teves while of the three houses raided in Bayawan City, one of them was owned by the congressman.
The CIDG official also said that the other two houses in the Bayawan raid were owned by a certain Hannah Mae and Jojo Maturan.
Valmonte said he believed that Hannah Mae and Jojo Maturan were possibly relatives of Teves.
He also said that operatives also recovered firearms there, but he could not tell how many firearms were found.
The CIDG has yet to disclose how many firearms were recovered in the raid in Basay.
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