Police: 3 violated gun ban

THE month-long gun ban for the celebration of the 27th Kadayawan Festival in Davao City has netted three violators in ten days, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said.

Authorities first arrested Gerry Amador Elognon Paller, 39, a marketing manager of the Davao Security and Investigation Agency (Dasia), resident of Rosalina Village in Barangay Baliok at Talomo District.

Supt. Dionisio Escubañez, chief of the Toril police station, said Paller was arrested around 1:45 p.m. on a checkpoint conducted by the Task Force Davao (TFD) with their personnel at Sirawan, Toril, Davao City on August 1.

Recovered inside the Isuzu Trooper service vehicle of the security officer were one caliber .45 pistol, two magazines, and three live ammunitions.

Escubañez said Paller presented his license but did not have the permit to carry or transport a firearm.

Another violator arrested was identified as Tommy Zafe Go, 39, a businessman and resident of Cagampang Street in General Santos City.

He was endorsed to Toril Police Station by the TFD personnel around 4:15 p.m. on August 7, after he surrendered his firearm at the checkpoint in Sirawan.

Go, on board a Toyota Fortuner with a plate number TLG 99 driven by one Benjie Macarimbang Maruhom, of Santiago Subdivision in General Santos City, only learned that there is a gun ban in the city after reading the tarpaulin placed on the TFD detachment.

He then asked to be allowed to deposit his firearm at the checkpoint but the team refused to accept the firearm and instead endorsed him to the Toril Police Station.

Recovered from his possession were a Taurus Millennium caliber .45 pstol, two magazines, and 14 live ammunitions.

The most recent violator arrested was identified as Fructouso Cabilao Rama Jr., 56, barangay police, resident of South San Juan in Agdao. He was arrested after he fired his unlicensed firearm in Barangay Centro in Agdao on August 10 around 1:45 p.m.

Police from the Sta. Ana Police Station recovered from Rama's possession: one Smith and Wesson .357 revolver, three live ammunitions, and one empty shell.

Based on the progressed report of the Davao City Police Office's Operation Office (DCPO-OO), Rama and Go were already charged with violation of Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by a Republic Act 8294, otherwise known as Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition.

Police said Go was released last week after he had filed bail before the City Prosecution Office, while Rama and Paller is still under the custody of the Sta. Ana Police Station and Toril Police Station.

In line with the celebration of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome earlier ordered the suspension of gun-carrying privileges for one month.

In Bartolome's memorandum to Chief Superintendent Jaime H. Morente, Police Regional Office regional director, all Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residences are hereby suspended for a period of one month in Davao City effective August 1-31.

The order added that only members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the
Philippines and other law enforcement agencies performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms, will be allowed to carry