Gun charges filed vs Ilocos pol, 6 others

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — Police authorities in Abra have filed charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against an Ilocos Sur politician and six others.

Charged were Efren Rafanan, who ran for Ilocos Sur governor last year but lost; Mike Velasco, Joel Arquero, Mike Carreon and three others identified only as Ka Roman, Ka Resty and Ka Jessie.

In their complaint with the Candon City prosecutor’s office, Superintendent Pedro Ganir and Chief Inspectors Rolando Osias, Jimmy Daza and Osmundo Salibo said the charges stemmed from an intelligence operation that a joint police team conducted at RVA Farm in Barangay Calaoan here.

The operation, they said, was prompted by "reliable information" that the farm was allegedly being used as a "haven" by active members of the Revolutionary Proletariat Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) believed to be responsible for several killings in Abra and the Ilocos region.

According to the police complainants, the farm’s caretaker, Gregorio Mira Flores, identified Velasco, Arquero and Carreon as the lessees of three rooms inside the compound where the firearms and explosives were found.

The rooms were occupied by Ka Roman, Ka Resty and Ka Jessie who had left when the raiding team arrived.

In their complaint, the four police officers quoted Roger de la Cruz, a RPA-ABB member arrested in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur last April 19, as alleging that the weapons were "supplied/given by a certain ‘Rambo’ Rafanan of Ilocos Sur."

The complainants said the seized firearms and explosives were not covered by the proper documents from the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosive Division.