High-powered firearms, ammo seized in raid

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A total of  20 high-powered firearms and ammunitions were seized in a police raid on a house inside a plush subdivision this city Wednesday evening.

The raiding team, led by Regional Intelligence Office-6 chief, Superintendent Ronald Allan Gepana, confiscated 16 AK-47s, two shotguns, two .45-caliber pistols, a long firearm, thousands of rounds of assorted ammunitions, 140 empty magazines, 24 magazine pouches, 24 bayonets and 24 cleaning kits.

Gepana said the raid was conducted at the house of Eugene Gawat at Santa Clara Subdivision in this city with a search warrant issued by Bacolod Regional Trial Court-Branch 51 Judge Anita Guanzon-Chua.

Gawat was however not around during the raid, said Gepana, adding that the raiding team found five gun licenses that are now being verified. Upon checking with the firearms and explosives agencies, the RIO-6 confirmed that Gawat was not a holder of any gun license.

Charges of violation of the Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, will be filed against Gawat, who was still at-large as of press time.

The seized firearms and ammos were turned over to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) Crime Laboratory for ballistics examination. (FREEMAN)