Woman denies she leads Batangas gun-for-hire ring

MANILA, Philippines - A former councilor of Nasugbu, Batangas on Friday surfaced to deny an allegation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that she heads a gun-for-hire ring in the province and was involved in political killings.

Speaking to reporters in Pasay City, Guillerma "Lerma" Limboc denied the NBI's allegation that she owns the property in Calaca, Batangas which was raided by NBI agents on January 15 on suspicion that it is being used as a mass grave.

"Wala akong idea sa gun-for-hire at political killings na yan," said Lerma, who ran but lost in her bid to become mayor of Nasugbu in the last elections.

Last January 15, NBI agents armed with a search warrant issued by Malabon Regional Trial Court Carlos Flores, swooped down in simultaneous raids, on the Calaca property in Barangay Lumbang na Bata and on houses owned by Limboc in Barangay Papaya, in Nasugbu.

During the raids, the NBI said four alleged members of the gun-for-hire ring were arrested in Calaca while two barangay councilors were arrested in Nasugbu.

In Calaca, the NBI agents, supported by personnel from the Philippine Airforce, swooped down on the house owned by a certain Gerardo Paglinawan alias "Taling”" in Barangay Lumbang na Bata at around 6:30 a.m.

NBI agents arrested Paglinawan’s brother, Police Officer 1 Wilfredo Paglinawan, a member of the Calaca police, a certain Mark Ruedas and two unidentified men.

Gerardo Paglinawan, who was the subject of the search warrant, managed to escape during the raid, the NBI daid.

NBI-Batangas agent Jun Japlit said the suspects allegedly opened fire at the raiding team, triggering a brief gun battle. No one was reported hurt in the incident.

Authorities recovered an Armalite rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, a shot gun, a hand grenade, and an undetermined amount of suspected shabu from the suspects.

Meanwhile, two barangay councilors were also arrested in simultaneous raids by NBI agents in Nasugbu town.

The NBI identified those arrested in the raid at Limboc's house in Barangay Papaya in Nasugbu councilors Jie Perno and Etok Limboc.

According to the NBI, agents seized a shotgun from Perno, and a .22-caliber pistol from Limboc.

The NBI raiding team also swooped down on the house of councilors Rene Rabasio, Carpo Gonzales and Guillerma "Lerma" Limboc but no firearms or illegal drugs were recovered during the raid.

According to Limboc, she does not know the people arrested in the Calaca raid. Limboc added that there was also no mass grave found at the property. The absence of the alleged mass grave was even reported by the local police, she said.

Limboc also denied the NBI's claim that her brother Etok and Perno were arrested during the Nasugbu raid. Limboc presented Etok and Perno to reporters yesterday.

"They were not there during the raid. Also, no guns were taken from them," she said.

Limboc, however, revealed that the NBI arrested six people during the Nasugbu raid. Those arrested includes her two nephews Marlon Limboc and Melvin Limboc. Both are sons of Etok Limboc.

Also arrested by the NBI were Joseph Ferraer, Gregorio dela Fuente, Fernan Digno and Arnulfo Canonio.

Limboc said the six arrested men continue to be detained by the NBI despite the charge of illegal detention being a bailable offense.

According to Limboc's lawyer, Virgilio Leynes, they cannot post bail yet for the arrested six men as the Department of Justice has not yet issued a resolution on thier case.

Leynes said that as such, they have filed before the Court of Appeals on Thursday a petition for the writ of habeas corpus.

"The NBI has to produce them. If no other charges will be filed sgainst them, they should be released," said Leynes.

Leynes added that they are also questioning why the NBI secured the search warrant used in the raids from the Malabon court when under the rules, it should have been secured from a court in Batangas or from another court in the Southern Tagalog Region which is covered by the judicial region.

"If the NBI will not release them, we will be filing a complaint of illegal detention against them," said Leynes.

Meanwhile, former councilor Limboc said the NBI had been misled by information which she said could have been given by her youngest brother, Rico Limboc, whom she said, have had several differences in the past with her family.

She said that was her brother who have had dealings with those arrested in Calaca and was using the NBI to discredit her after she supported a Batangas congressional candidate in the last elections.

"Pakinggan sana ako ng DOJ at ng NBI. Napaniwala sila ng mali. Natutuwa ngayon ang mga kalaban ko sa pulitika," she said.