Raps filed vs. armed men caught in MCIAA

The Police Center for Aviation Security have formally filed charges yesterday before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutors Office against four armed men arrested inside the Mactan Cebu International Airport last Sunday.

Charged for illegal possession of firearms and usurpation of authority were Richard Orayan, Ronald Pepino, Jessie Pepino and Crisologo Puzon. All were believed to be either members of a kidnap-for-ransom gang or hired killers.

Airport authorities and the military believe that the suspects were out to kidnap a foreigner at the domestic arrival area, but police are also considering the possibility that they were out to assassinate a cabinet official.

Seized from the suspects were an M-16 rifle, two 5.56mm magazines, two .45 cal. pistols, five .45 cal. magazines, 47 .45 cal. bullets and 60 5.56mm rounds.

Also confiscated were a gray Mazda, four cellular phones and fake IDs of the Intelligence Service of the AFP, Philippine National Police and the military.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tomas Osmeña is offering P50,000 for any information about the four men.

Noting that the suspects' vehicle and firearms were not mere surplus weaponry, Osmeña said the city government is now taking aggressive measures to identify the group's local contacts.

The mayor fears any disruption of the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in December, prompting him to reiterate his call for the public and the business sector to understand why there is a need to declare a holiday during the event.

"It's a question of risk analysis. The risk is remote but it's fatal," Osmeña said.

He said that while the arrest of the suspects do not translate to a terrorist attempt, it is better to be prepared. Osmeña has declared a four-day holiday for the ASEAN Summit to maximize security during the summit, something that Mandaue Mayor Thadeo Ouano described as "overreacting". (See separate story on page 4)

"It's frustrating to be in the situation because in the end, I'm going to make a fool out of myself," the mayor said, adding, he'd rather make a fool out of himself by having prepared too much rather than being caught in a situation that could destroy the reputation of the city.

Meanwhile, Detective Management Section chief Paul Labra yesterday said that they received unconfirmed reports that the four suspects belong to the Waray-waray group.

He said if this is true that would have been the first time the group tried to kidnap someone here in Cebu.

Labra said that as far as he knows, the only genuine kidnapping incident that took place here in Cebu City was the 2003 kidnapping of Ryan James Yu, then 11 years old.

The arrest of the four suspects last Sunday was incidental considering that the arresting officers were at the airport for another matter when they spotted the suspects. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan and Joeberth M. Ocao