This is a screen grab of the watchman brandishing a gun during a lot dispute in Sitio Janssen, Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City. | Screen grab from video
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Charges were being readied against the watchman of a lot in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, who was caught on camera drawing and cocking a gun during a lot dispute.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Christian Torres of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office said that they would not name the suspect because they had yet to file charges against him.
READ: Lapu-Lapu police: 4 gun ban violators nabbed since August 28
Charges to be filed
Torres said that they would file charges of grave threats, illegal possession of firearm, and violation of the Commission on election (Comelec) gun ban against the man.
He also said that they did not detain the watchman, who surrendered to Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and was turned over to the Mactan Police Station.
Torres said that this was because the incident happened last Saturday, October 14.
However, he said they would surely file charges against him and so they would follow the regular process of filing a case against the watchman.
READ: Comelec issues gun ban rules for 2023 Barangay, SK elections
Lapu-Lapu watchman viral
The watchman went viral on Facebook after a video of him brandishing and cocking a gun in front of people during a confrontation of a land dispute in Sitio Janssen, Punta Engaño, was posted by Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan on his FB page on Sunday evening, October 15.
The incident on the video allegedly happened on October 14.
Chan, in a post, earlier urged the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) to locate the suspect.
“Panawagan nako sa mga kapulisan nga tabangan ako sa pagsikop sa maong lalaki. Gawas nga gun ban man karon tungod sa nagsingabot nga eleksyon, di sab maayu ang maong binuhatan. Di ko gusto nga buhaton pa ni niya sa uban,” Chan said in a post.
(I am calling on the police to help me arrest this man. Aside from the gun ban now which is in effect due to the coming election, it is also now a good thing that he did. I don’t like that he would do that to others again.)
READ: Gun replicas covered by barangay, SK polls gun ban, public warned
Surrendered to mayor
This morning, October 16, the suspect voluntarily surrendered to Chan and was turned over to Mactan Police Station.
Torres said that the watchman claimed that the gun that was seen in the video was just a toy gun.
“Pag-adto niya sa balay ni mayor, wala man siyay armas gidala, unya mi-allege siya nga toy gun ra daw to,” Torres said.
(When he went to the house of the mayor, he was not bringing a gun, and he alleged that what was caught on the video was just a toy gun.)
He said that despite this, they will pursue the filing of the case.
“Regardless, filelan gihapon nato siya with the aid sa video, witnesses ug complainant,’ he added.
(Regardless, we will still file a case against him with the aid of the video, witnesses and the complainant.)