AUTHORITIES have arrested a barangay captain in the hinterlands of Negros Oriental for illegal possession or firearms and ammunition and suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu.
A police report identified the suspect as Felipe Semillano Condez Jr., alias Banto, 57, a resident of Sitio Tower, Barangay Kalamtukan in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
Condez was arrested following the service of a search warrant issued by Judge Mario Trinidad of the Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. Subject of the search warrant was Conde's son, John Paul, who evaded arrest.
The search warrant was served around 6 a.m. Thursday by joint elements of the Negros Oriental Provincial Public Safety Company, the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, and the Bayawan City police station, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
During the search, the operatives found one heat-sealed sachet of suspected shabu, an improvised tooter, one disposable lighter, one plastic pack containing suspected dried marijuana leaves, one piece fragmentation hand grenade, one unit caliber .45 pistol, two magazines and one round of 9mm ammunition.
Conde was arrested for violation of Republic Act 10591 (illegal possession of firearms) and Republic Act 9516 (illegal possession of explosives).
Recovered from him were one fragmentation hand grenade, one unit KG9 pistol, three magazines for KG9 pistol and 60 pieces of live ammunition.
The barangay captain is the suspected leader of the Pulahan Group, which is allegedly involved in drug pushing, gun-for-hire and gun running activities in Bayawan City and nearby municipalities. (PNA)