TWO teenage boys are now facing separate criminal charges for illegal possession of high-powered firearm and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
Arrested earlier by policemen who were called in during a riot were Lart, 17, a second year high school student, and Ian, 17, a third year high school student, both residents of Panacan Relocation.
Lart was believed to have possessed an improvised hand gun (sumpak) measuring seven inches with two live ammunition for an M-16 rifle as he was seen dropping these to the ground when the police ran after him.
Ian, on the other hand, dropped a five-inch sumpak with an empty shell of a bullet for an M-14 rifle.
The two are charged with illegal possession of firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and violation of Umnibus Election Code before the Regional Trial Court branch 33 on August 25.
In a sworn affidavit, Police Officer (PO) 3 Wilson Sapliago and PO3 Enrico Villarino related how they were called in through the Central 911 to break up a riot at around 4:30 a.m. of January 19 at Bayview Village in Km. 11, Sasa.
There was no longer a riot when the police arrived, but they checked on a group of teenage youths hanging out by the highway just the same. Instead of facing them, the youths scampered away in different directions. Three were cornered, but only the two were sued.
The Revised Penal Code of the Philippines provides the punishment for the violation of RA 8294 of prision mayor in its minimum period and a fine of P30,000 if a firearm is classified as high powered firearm, which includes those with bores bigger in diameter than .38 caliber and 9 millimeter such as caliber .40, .41, .44, .45 and also lesser calibered firearms but considered powerful such as caliber .357 and caliber .22 center-fire magnum and other firearms with firing capability of full automatic and by burst of two or three. (Jereco O. Paloma)