Manila sheriff, 2 others jailed for firing guns

Three persons, including a man claiming to be a sheriff of Manila, a member of Manila’s Finest and his civilian companion, were arrested in separate incidents for violating the Comelec gun ban in Caloocan and Malabon, authorities reported yesterday.

First to be arrested were SPO1 Alejandro Diego, detailed at the Sampaloc Police Station of the Western Police District (WPD) and his companion Rogelio Meneses on the basis of complaints from local residents.

The complainants were identified as Ursula Cuanton, 31, and Ferdinand Mar, 34, both of Dorotea Road, Balintawak, Quezon City. The two filed separate charges against the suspects for alleged damage to property and for physical injuries.

Cuanton said the Diego and Meneses fired their guns several times with some of the bullets hitting her house causing an undetermined amount of damage. The suspects also allegedly ganged up on Mar, who was just passing by, when the incident happened.

Prior to the firing incident, Diego’s son and relatives allegedly figured in a brawl where the two suspects intervened. They claimed before probers arrived, they were just trying to pacify the protagonists.

In the other incident, a man under the influence of liquor and claiming to be a court sheriff of Manila at one time and a member of the Meralco security force during another, was arrested by responding police officers for indiscriminately firing his gun in Malabon City.

Collared by the men of Malabon City Police chief Senior Superintendent Freddie Panen was Mario Miranda, 32, of 1146 Sto. Cristo Extension, Tondo, Manila.

The suspect was arrested at 9 p.m. Sunday at De Vachan street, Tugatog in Malabon on a complaint of Dolores Avendaño, a member of Barangay Tugatog watchmen’s Special Task Force.

Probers said the suspect allegedly showed an identification card which expired in 2002 indicating he was a sheriff. PO2 Bobby Egera, officer-on-case, said Miranda, during investigation, also showed an application for a Comelec gun ban exemption but which was not duly signed or approved. Recovered from the suspect was a caliber .45 pistol, with license and permit to carry firearm outside residence (PTCFOR), but without the requisite Comelec exemption papers. – Jerry Botial