Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Found with guns in van: expired MOs, P299T cash
CRIMINAL Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Regional Director Jose Jorge Corpus will check on the status of high-powered guns found in a van of Cordova Mayor Arleigh Sitoy, after authorities found mission orders issued for the mayor and SPO3 Joseph Montesclaros.
A total of P299,000 cash in bundles of P100 and P200 bills; two-high powered rifles, a 9 mm pistol, ammunition; and mission orders that expired last January were found inside the van.
Several campaign materials for Sitoy’s father, Adelino, who is running for Cordova mayor, were also found.
Scene of the Crime Operations team leader Senior Insp. Helen Pasoy confirmed this. She is also verifying the registered owner of the van.
Arleigh earlier confirmed ownership of the van, but he said the strafing and the discovery of the guns were his political foe’s gimmickry to gain sympathy votes.
Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said he is ready to face any case the Sitoys will file against him, but stressed there was nothing irregular in the confiscation of firearms and ammunition from Arleigh’s van.
Search
The van was parked outside a fastfood chain in Lapu-Lapu City since Saturday night. It was forcibly opened by the police Sunday afternoon, after they saw the rifles inside.
Castillano had ordered the seizure.
The Sitoys cried illegal search, but Castillano, also Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional attorney, was firm in saying that there was no need for a search warrant.
Castillano said that seeing the firearms inside the vehicle was enough basis to order the search of the vehicle.
He also said he has yet to receive a complaint from Adelino’s rival, Danilo Sinugbuhan.
Sinugbuhan was considering filing a disqualification case against Adelino for violation of the election gun ban or illegal possession of firearms.
In a separate interview, Corpus said they issue mission orders (MOs) for guns in support of a local government’s anti-criminality programs.
An MO is for a specific mission in the fight against criminality. A memorandum receipt determines who owns the guns.
Corpus said he is sure the MOs for the firearms found inside the van are expired because they already stopped renewing them to encourage holders to apply for exemption from the Comelec gun ban.
He is yet to verify if the MOs are authentic and matched the guns.
Pasoy believes one of the guns, a KG 9 rifle, cannot be made legal because it is made by an illegal gunsmith in Danao City.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Silverio Alarcio visited the van yesterday afternoon. Lapu-Lapu City Police Chief Noel Gillamac briefed him on the update of the investigation. (OCP/JGA/With JST)
