Cotabato City cops arrest 2 during Oplan Lambat Sibat

COTABATO CITY – Police authorities here have arrested two men for possession of firearms as the local police intensify implementation of Oplan Lambat Sibat.”Armed with search warrants, members of the Cotabato City PNP and Special Weapons and Tactics, raided on Sunday a residential compound in Purok Mababel, Barangay Bagua Uno, Cotabato City.The raiding team seized one M-16 Armalite rifle, grenade and ammunition.Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Cotabato City police director, identified the arrested suspect as Minang Macarido.But Macarido’s relatives claimed they do not own the rifle and the grenade but of a police officer who pawned the items. The Armalite was pawned to us by a certain Aba, a police officer, I don’t know the grenade why it was there now, we don’t own the grenade,” Macarido’s relatives told reporters.The other suspect was unidentified in the report.Supiter said Macarido has all the rights to defend himself in proper forum.Suspects are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and election gun ban. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)