THE mayor of Pantar town in Lanao del Norte was arrested along with six other persons after a brief firefight with authorities who served a search warrant for firearms early Sunday morning, May 13.
Those arrested were Pantar Mayor Jabar Tago, Jamaloding Tago, Janoding Tago, Rehan Gumpal, Abdul Racman Gumpal, Kiram Ampuan, and Nasroding Lao.
Colonel Romeo Brawner Jr., Joint Task Force Ranao spokesperson, said elements of the 2nd mechanized brigade of the Philippine Army and Pantar police raided the Tago compound around 6 a.m. Sunday.
A brief firefight ensued between the raiding team and some occupants of the Tago compound. No one was hurt, Brawner said.
Authorities recovered nine high-powered firearms, five pistols, one shotgun, and assorted ammunition.
The mayor and the six others who were arrested will face charges of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the election gun ban in relation to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Brawner said the mayor, Janoding and Jamaloding were out on bail over charges of frustrated murder while Ampuan is included in the drugs watchlist of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/VoxPop Philippines)