PALO, Leyte -- A former village chief in Calbayog City and his son are in hot water after the Regional Special Operation Task Group (RSOTG-Samar) found hand grenades in their respective homes on Wednesday.
PNP-Eastern Visayas Director Elmer Soria said simultaneous police raid in the houses of Antonio Casurao Bantad Sr. and his son Antonio Ladag Bantad, who is also the village’s councilman, yielded two hand grenades and the subsequent arrests of the two.
The elder Bantad is a former village chief of said village, a position now being held by his wife Marina. The younger Bantad, meanwhile, is a barangay kagawad of same barangay.
“These police operations are part of our effort in ensuring secure and fair elections in Samar province which was earlier listed as an election priority area,” Soria said.
Soria added that this is the first time that explosives were seized by the police in law enforcement operations since the start of the election period last January 13 which resulted in the arrest of 14 gun ban violators and confiscation of 20 firearms of assorted calibers.
Soria said the police teams were armed with search warrants issued by Alphinor C. Serrano, Executive Judge of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 in Tacloban City.
Superintendent Rolando Bade led the raid in the elder Bantad’s house and was witnessed by barangay officials Florencio Lucis, Fructouso Bustamante and Jose Commendador.
Aside from a hand grenade, the police team also recovered four firearm slugs of undetermined caliber.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Hector Enage led the implementation of the search warrant in the younger Bantad’s house that resulted in the confiscation of one bladed weapon and iron fist, aside from a hand grenade.
“Cases for violation of Republic Act 9516 are being prepared for filing in court against the two suspects who are currently detained at Calbayog City Police Station lock-up cell,” Soria said.
The R.A. 9516, which was approved on December 22, 2008, amended certain provisions of Presidential Decree 1866 codifying the laws on illegal/unlawful possession, manufacture, dealing in, acquisition or disposition of firearms, ammunition or explosives or instruments used in the manufacture of firearms, ammunition or explosives, and imposing stiffer penalties for certain violations. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)