THE barangay captain of Mayana, Barili, Cebu was arrested for alleged possession of unlicensed firearms.
Jonas U. Binondo, 38, yielded to a combined team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 and the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (IDMB-CPPO) after they raided his house at 6:30 a.m. yesterday.
Binondo believes his arrest was politically motivated, with the barangay elections only three months away. Binondo is seeking reelection.
Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras issued the search warrant against Binondo, which resulted in the confiscation of a .45 pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .357 revolver, two magazines for a .45, three bullets for a .357, four live ammunitions for a shotgun, two holsters and 10 empty shells for a .45.
CIDG 7 Deputy Chief Ritchie Medardo Posadas told reporters the operation was initiated after they received complaints from some residents about the barangay chief allegedly keeping several firearms.
He brushed aside Binondo’s speculation the operation was politically motivated.
Surveillance verified the information the CIDG 7 received, Posadas said.
Binondo presented memorandum receipts (MRs) issued by the Municipal Government for the .45 pistol and the shotgun, which means the firearms belong to and were issued by the local government unit. The revolver, though, has no papers.
Binondo said the revolver is owned by his brother-in-law.
Posadas, however, said charges of violation of Republic Act 8294 for illegal possession of firearms will be filed against the barangay official.
It will be up to the court to establish if the MRs are authentic, Posadas said.