Police nab illegal guns financier in Danao City

CEBU, Philippines — The operatives of Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) arrested a person alleged to be a financier of illegal gun manufacturing in a raid in Barangay Suba, Danao City yesterday dawn.

PIB chief, Police Superintendent Joie Pacito Yape, identified the suspect as Dioscoro ‘Diosing’ Manit, of legal age, a resident of Barangay Suba.

Yape said that Manit’s name came up  in an interview with Euligiano Bueno Camance Jr. who was arrested by the Cebu Port Authority police last November 12 after he was discovered carrying 21 pieces of different types of ‘paltik’ guns.

Camance told police that he got the guns from a certain Diosing in Danao City.

Regional Maritime Unit 7 verified the information and immediately coordinated with the PIB, then a search warrant was acquired issued by Honorable Judge Jerry Dicdican of Regional Trial Court Branch 25 of Danao City.

During the raid, Manit was found in possession of two.45 caliber pistols with magazines and ammunition and a 9mm black widow loaded with ammunition.

Allegedly, Manit served as the financier of a gun manufacturer operating in the mountainous area of Danao.

Yape also said that Manit has been subjected to a total of five police operations in the past.

The suspect is now temporarily detained at the Cebu Provincial Police Office-PIB while a complaint for violating Republic Act 10591 or the Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunitions is being prepared against him.

Ex-soldier arrested

In Compostela, a former member of the Special Forces of the Philippine Army was nabbed for illegal possession of firearms and drugs in a raid on his residence in Sitio Proper Barangay Basak yesterday morning.

The suspect was identified by police as Zaldy Pareja, 56.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) - 7 and Compostela police recovered from the suspect two.38 caliber revolvers, one .45 caliber pistol and one .45 caliber rifle with ammunitions. They also found four small packs of suspected shabu.

Police Chief Inspector Lirio Coral of CIDG-7 said that they received several reports from the community regarding Pareja’s involvement in incidents of indiscriminate firing.

A search warrant issued by Judge Antonio Marigomen of Regional Trial Court 7, Branch 61 of Bogo City.

Coral also said that the suspect has a pending case in Danao in relation to illegal drugs.

Compostela Police Station chief, Senior Inspector Junafer Vergara, told The FREEMAN in a phone interview that Pareja is also a newly identified drug pusher.

In addition, Pareja was also allegedly a former goon of a politician in Compostela.

In an interview, Pareja denied his involvement in illegal drugs, saying that he has nothing to do with illegal drug peddling in the town.

Pareja also said that he was not a goon but was gainfully employed as a body guard to his cousin, Mayor Joel Quiño.

He also denied that he owned the guns the police found in his residence.

“Gibilin ra gyud na sa akoa. Ako lang pud gitaguan sa aparador kay ingon balikon ra niya,” Pareja said.

However, he refused to name the owner. —/JBB (FREEMAN)