Private armed group in Leyte town neutralized, NBI reports

Joint elements of the Eastern Visayas office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Tacloban City police and the Regional Mobile and Intelligence Group have neutralized a private armed group in Hindang, Leyte with the arrest of its three alleged members.

In a statement, Salvador Ranin, NBI regional director, identified those arrested as Miguel Tizon, Dario Panerio and Teodoro Mijares.

Investigation by lawyer Antonio Pagatpat showed that members of the private armed group allegedly served as security escorts of Hindang Mayor Roy Jomao-as.

The NBI said Mijares, an alleged close-in bodyguard of the mayor, has a pending arrest warrant for robbery with frustrated homicide issued by the Mandaue City Regional Trial Court.

He is also implicated in the May 13 killing of one Fortunato Dargantes in Hindang town.

Armed with the arrest warrant, the NBI-police team, headed by assistant NBI regional director Reynaldo Esmeralda, stormed the Hindang town hall last Sept. 12 and arrested Jomao-as’ security escorts.

The arrested suspects yielded a Berreta submachinegun, two caliber .38 revolvers and a caliber .45 pistol.

Three other suspects escaped through the back door of the town hall.

The NBI regional office said the operation was in line with NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco’s order to neutralize PAGs in the region.

The NBI said charges of illegal possession of firearms will be filed against the three arrested men.