Medellin councilor faces raps for possession of explosives

A northern town councilor has been indicted for alleged unlawful possession of explosives after the National Bureau of Investigation seized about 100 sacks of ammonium nitrate from his farm and beach resorts Thursday dawn.

Medellin councilor Rene Olivar was earlier the subject of five search warrants, issued by judge Geraldine Faith Econg, for alleged violation of the Republic Act 8294, or the law against illegal possession of explosives.

NBI agents raided Olivar's residence and farm in barangay Lamintak where they seized 30 bags of explosive-grade ammonium nitrate. In the other simultaneous raids, the NBI seized 60 bags of the same items from his beach resort and six bags more from his farm in barangay Tindog.

Olivar was able to escape during the raid but the NBI arrested the caretaker of his farm, Segundino Cuizon, who was also charged for illegal possession of explosives at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor's Office.

Olivar will be asked to submit his counter-affidavit on the charges while the Visayan Sea Squadron, which believe that the ammonium nitrate was intended for dynamite fishing, wanted Cuizon to be a state witness against the councilor.

A subsequent laboratory test confirmed that the contents of the 96 bags seized in the raid were ammonium nitrate. The Firearms and Explosives Security Guards Supervision Section also certified that Olivar has not been authorized to possess explosives.

Agent Gregorio Algoso said the NBI received information about the alleged illegal activity of Olivar a few months ago. They later put the councilor under surveillance until they were able to confirm late last month the arrival of the ammonium shipment.

Algoso said an informant told the NBI that the shipment came from Masbate although they believed that it was directly imported from China.

The case against Olivar will continue even if he is still at-large. - Fred P. Languido