By Jennifer P. Rendon
Not a gun or bullet was recovered during a firearm raid on the house of a former barangay captain in Lemery, Iloilo morning of Jan. 29.
The search operation conducted on the house of Ludivuco Balore, 50, at Barangay Dalipe, Lemery was due to reports that he was keeping unlicensed firearms.
Members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RFMB) 6, together with the Lemery Municipal Police Station, conducted the operation by virtue of Search Warrant No. 2024-002 issued by Executive Judge Oscar Leo A. Billena of the Regional Trial Court 6 (RTC-6) Branch 70, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.
Balore resides at the local government’s housing project in Dalipe but he used to be barangay captain of Dapdapan village.
Captain Jose Winston Biadog, Lemery police chief, said Balore had a previous firearm-related case.
“We’re not sure if he’s on probation or is out on bail,” he said.
Balore, on the other hand, claimed that the operation was politically motivated.
But he didn’t identify the person behind the move to have him arrested.
Balore claimed that he had surrendered his three firearms years ago.
“May kaso pa gani ko subong tapos mahupot pa gid ko armas?” he quipped.
Balore said that the person who complained against him might be the one keeping a firearm.
