ZAMBOANGA City Police Office (ZCPO) has placed under investigation a town mayor and a policeman for possible violation of the Omnibus Election Code, a police officer said Saturday.
Placed under investigation were Mayor Allan Damas of Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur and Police Officer 3 Nelson Villadares of Kumalarang town police station.
Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo, ZCPO director, said Damas and Villadares were invited for questioning after they were chanced upon Friday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional office in Zamboanga City.
The local policemen have seized an M-16 Armalite rifle and a caliber .45 pistol and ammunitions from Villadares.
De Ocampo said appropriate charges will be filed against the town official and policeman once it will be found out that they have violated the Omnibus Election Code.
Damas claimed that he went to the Comelec regional office to apply for election gun ban exemption.
Villadares said he hitched with Damas to save from fare expenses in going to Zamboanga City from Kumalarang upon learning the town official is coming to the city.
Villadares said his purpose in coming to the city is to follow up some documents and other administrative matters at the Zamboanga Peninsula Police Office (ZPPO).
The Kumalarang police station, which is under the Zamboanga del Sur police office, falls within the area of jurisdiction of ZPPO being the regional police office.
De Ocampo said Damas and Villadares' case was forwarded to the Regional Internal Affairs Service of the police for further investigation.
De Ocampo warned policemen from nearby provinces to refrain from accompanying politicians, citing they are strictly implementing the election gun ban in Zamboanga City. (Bong Garcia)