POLICE have filed criminal charges before the prosecutor’s office against four suspected pirates who were recently captured following a brief firefight off Zamboanga del Sur.
Senior Superintendent Sofronio Ecaldre, Zamboanga del Sur police director, identified the respondents as Joveto Galorio, Bobby Jerusalem, Joel Langgam, and Fredo Oclaret, all residents of Igat Island in nearby Margosatubig town.
Ecaldre said among the charges they filed on Monday against the suspects are illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and direct assault to an agent of the law.
The suspects were captured following a five-minute firefight last week with policemen near the shore of the village of Biu-Os, Vincenzo Sagun, Zamboanga del Sur.
Ecaldre said Junjie Galorio, a companion of the suspects, was killed during the firefight, which ensued when patrolling policemen chanced upon them.
The suspects were believed to be behind piracy incidents within the Dumanguilas Bay area. Confiscated from them last week was a Garand rifle with 22 rounds of ammunition.
Ecaldre said he foresees a decline in the number of piracy incidents in the Dumanguilas Bay area following the suspects' arrest. (Bong Garcia)