Wednesday, March 05, 2008 Cache of firearms seized from wanted gunrunner By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
POLICE arrested a man with a pending warrant of arrest in Zamboanga City for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition last Saturday.
Joint elements of the Police Regional Intelligence Division Southern Mindanao, the Compostela Valley Police Provincial Office, and 1403rd Police Provincial Mobile Group of Agusan Sur Police Provincial Office arrested Ronnie C. Fancovilla inside his house at Purok 5B, Barangay Capatungan in Trento, Agusan del Sur.
Fancovilla was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 16 presiding judge Jesus C. Carbon in Zamboanga City.
The suspect was a suspected "gun-for-hire," who was involved in a series of assassination in Agusan del Sur, Southern Mindanao, and other neighboring regions.
Rebel returnees, Isaias Obat and Rey Panes, who were arrested in Monkayo in Compostela Valley for the death of Corporal Larry Aquino of the Military Intelligence Company Southern Mindanao and Jay Prochina, son of 2nd District Board Member Timoteo Prochina of Agusan del Sur, also confirmed that the suspect is a member of their gun-for-hire group.
Recovered from the Fancovilla were an M16 rifle hydra; Baby M16 Colt with attached Colt grenade launcher 40mm, M203; one Squire Bingham .22 caliber with scope; one Carbine caliber 30 M1; one US Carbine Pistolized caliber 30 M1; six live ammunition of 12 gauge shot gun; six live M79 cartridges; one piece fragmentation hand-grenade; two long and seven short magazines of caliber 30 carbine; five short and three long magazines of M16 rifle; several magazine pouches of assorted caliber of firearms and ammunition; one tennis bag; one body holster; one unit Nokia cellphone with sim packs of Talk n'Text, Touch Mobile and Smart Buddy; 125 live ammunition of caliber 5.56 mm; 80 live ammunition of caliber 30 carbine; and three live ammunitions of caliber 22.
The suspect is now detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Southern Mindanao awaiting the filing of additional charges against him.
