By Jennifer P. Rendon
Criminal charges were filed against 16 persons who were arrested during the simultaneous search and seizure operations in Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz, Capiz on Dec. 30, 2020.
The filing of cases happened a day after the raids that saw the death of nine persons in the Tapaz operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson, said all suspects were charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2020) and RA 9516 for illegal possession of explosives.
Charged were Luisito Bautista, 57; Welsio Chiva, 65; and Marilyn Chiva, 26, all residents of Barangay Garangan, Calinog town.
Also charged are Lauriano Castor, Jr., 39; Rodolfo Diaz, 74; and Benito Caballero, 52, all residents of Barangay Masaroy, Calinog.
The same cases were also slapped against Marivic Aguirre of Barangay Lahug; Ailyn Catamin and Rolando Caspillo Jr, of Barangay Tacayan; Jucie Caro, Marilou Catamin, Eleuteria Caro and Rollen Catamin of Barangay Roosevelt; Benny Pet Lorana of Barangay Aglinab; Ferdinand Caspillo of Barangay Acuña; and Carlito Diaz of Barangay Nayawan, Tapaz town.
In a statement, Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, said the implementation of search warrants stemmed from the complaints in the areas that these personalities are in possession of firearms and explosives.
“The service of the search warrants became a bloody encounter when the other subjects put-up a fight against the operatives,” the statement added.
The encounter led to the death Roy Giganto, Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre of Barangay Lahug; Maurito Diaz Sr of Barangay Tacayan; Eliseo Gayas Jr of Barangay Aglinab; Artilito Katipunan of Barangay Acuña; Jomar Vidal of Barangay Daan-Sur; and Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Barangay Nayawan.
On the other hand, three subjects – Fortunato Legario of Garangan, Calinog, Allan Caspillo of Tacayan, Tapaz and Abelardo Diaz of Nayawan, Tapaz – are still at large.
However, during the search conducted in the presence of witnesses at their residences, there were recoveries of firearms and explosives.
Among the recoveries during the operation were 47 firearms, 307 assorted ammunition, and 38 explosives.
Overall, six inquest cases and 1 regular filing for violation of RA 9516 and RA 10591 were filed against those arrested in Calinog while 10 inquest cases and 2 regular filing for the same violations were done among those arrested in Tapaz, Capiz.
“All these started from the complaints of the people in their communities, we just developed the information” Miranda said.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Gervacio Balmaceda Jr., Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – Region 6 (CIDG-6) chief, said the operation is under the CIDG flagship project, OPLAN Panlalansag Omega– a campaign against loose firearms and explosives.
“Possession of unlicensed firearms and explosives is illegal,” Balmaceda said.
Amid all the controversies that surrounded the operations, the PRO-6 hierarchy said it continue its efforts in promoting peace and order in Western Visayas through its focused police operation and law enforcement activities.
