A HIGH-POWERED firearm was seized from a resident of Kabankalan City Sunday night because of information, which the local police received through its text hotline program "I-Text Mo Si Chief."
Superintendent Calixto Mabugat, Kabankalan City police chief, identified the suspect as Marman Macativo, 36, of Barangay Poblacion 1 who was nabbed after a concerned citizen sent a text message to the police text hotline that the said suspect possessed a loose firearm.
The suspect was collared by a team of local policemen led by Senior Police Officer 2 Dominador Apostol at the New Public Market for possessing a caliber .45 pistol with serial number 20999 loaded with seven rounds of live bullets.
Macativo failed to present legal documents to justify his possession of the said firearm.
Mabugat said violation of Republic Act 8294 or the Amended Firearms Law has already been filed against the suspect at the Negros Occidental Prosecutor's Office in Bacolod City. The suspect is presently detained at the lock up cell of Kabanklan police.
Negros Occidental Police Director Manuel Felix in the meantime lauded Mabugat and his men for initiating communication line with the citizenry that could lead to the early solution of crimes in Kabankalan City.