Manalo siblings, 24 others face gun raps

MANILA, Philippines -  The expelled siblings of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) executive minister Eduardo Manalo and at least 24 others are set to be charged with illegal possession of firearms following a raid on their residence in the controversial Tandang Sora compound.

Felix Nathaniel “Angel” and Lottie Manalo, as well as 24 others were arrested after several short and long firearms were seized in their building.

Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, said police officers recovered a shotgun, an M-16 rifle, two carbine rifles, a rifle grenade, a .40 caliber Springfield Armory USA pistol and around 100 bullets from the attic and behind the spiral staircase of the Manalo sibling’s residence.

Thirty-two persons were brought in for questioning by police but three minors and three women who were not residents of the building were released yesterday.

Jonathan Ledesma also faces charges of frustrated murder and direct assault upon persons of authority after he allegedly shot two lawmen who served the search warrant.

PO2 Henry Hular, and PO3 Joemarie Oandasan, not “Henry Escular” and “Joner Adasan” as earlier identified, were rushed to the St. Luke’s Medical Center for treatment.

Hular was reported to be in critical condition after sustaining gunshot wounds to the shoulder and abdomen while Oandasan was shot in the leg.

Probers said Hular was about to enter a room when Ledesma shot him.

Police officers allegedly saw Ledesma holding an M-16 rifle with Joseph Sabbaluca behind him. Sabbaluca tried to escape.

The search warrant was issued by Vice-Executive Judge Angelene Mary Quimpo-Sale of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106 after two guards reported being shot at while they were guarding the compound last Monday.