BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Elections and the Candijay municipal police office in Bohol province in the Visayas slapped separate charges of violation of the election gun ban against suspected agents of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group.
Candijay Chief Inspector Alfredo Kuhay Jr. identified the three armed men, who claimed to be Marines and PASG agents, as Abraham Borinaga, 45, from Las Piñas, Metro Manila; Benjamin Agliam, 24, from Binmaley, Pangasinan; and Danny Dologmanding, 41; a native of San Roque, Iloilo.
Also arrested were George Villalun, 26, from Calitan, Capiz; Rhyan Lopez, 23, from Gumaca, Quezon; Godualdo Dalo, also from Capiz; and Marlon Lomo, who has no definite address.
The Candijay police intercepted them at around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 while fleeing to the national highway, 15 meters from the residence of Candijay Mayor Sergio Amora Jr., on board an ambulance of the Community Awareness and Services for Ecological Concern (CASEC) Inc., a non-governmental organization.
Road block checkpoint
The police team caught them in the road block checkpoint conducted after receiving a report that some armed men on board an ambulance harassed brothers Edwin Bersaluna, 24, and Alberto, 21, who were drinking at a store in Poblacion, Candijay on the same day.
The police had filed charges of grave threat against them and four other companions for harassing the brothers.
The suspects showed PASG IDs and mission order signed by Antonio Villar Jr. with instructions to proceed to all regions, carry out confidential instructions of the head of PASG from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2010, and that they were authorized to carry a licensed Norinco .45 caliber with serial no. 47836, Arms Score .45 caliber pistols with serial nos. K1163589 and 1138051.
They also presented a certificate of authority from Comelec for exemption in the gun ban. However, they were in plain clothes when caught bringing along the firearms.