Court clears man of violating election gun ban

The court yesterday acquitted an arrastre operator who was accused by the former regional director of the National Bureau of Investigation of violating the gun ban declared by the Commission on Elections.

Regional Trial Court Judge Gabriel Ingles ruled that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of 63-year-old Guerrero Dajao, a resident of F. Cabahug Street, barangay Mabolo.

It was former NBI-7 regional director Florencio Villarin who complained that Dajao brought a .45 cal. pistol to a court hearing last June 19, 2002, which was during a gun ban period for the coming barangay elections.

Villarin and Dajao had a business venture, but later the former NBI official filed a civil case against Dajao for allegedly collecting a sum of money and the case was assigned at the RTC Branch 13.

Villarin claimed Dajao brought the gun along with him on one of their hearings and sought the help of the NBI agents, he said Dajao quickly passed on the gun to his escort.

When the NBI agents arrived, Dajao's escort allegedly passed on the gun to Dajao's grandson Jether Takang who brought the gun to a house along Escario Extension.

The lawmen successfully convinced the house owner, a relative of Dajao, to surrender the gun.

Although the gun was not recovered from the possession of Dajao, he admitted that he owned the firearm and presented some documents authorizing him to possess it.

Dajao also presented before the witness stand a military officer from the Intelligence Service Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to support his claim that he is a confidential agent and was among those authorized by the Comelec to possess a gun even during the gun ban period.

"Taking into consideration the pertinent pieces of evidence offered by the prosecution, this court finds that the charge that the accused carried the subject firearm on June 19, 2002 outside of his house or place of his business, has not been established beyond reasonable doubt," the court ruled.

"Wala na mamaayo pagka-handle sa prosecuting fiscal ang maong kaso," Villarin insisted. - Rene U. Borromeo/BRP