Cotabato cops raid house, seize guns, grenade, shabu, motorbikes

COTABATO
CITY – Policemen searching for loose firearms in a densely populated
village here stumbled prohibited drugs, believed to be carnapped motorbikes and
assorted guns and hand grenade Wednesday dawn, police said.
Senior
Supt. Rolen Balquin, Cotabato City police chief, said it was a raid against loose
firearms but lawmen found more and arrested three persons.Senior
Supt. Cholijun Caduyac, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)
regional director for Central Mindanao, said his unit was implementing Oplan
Paglalansag Omega” which aims to neutralize criminal gangs and those involved inillegal
drug trade.Caduyac identified the arrested suspect as Saynodin Andatuan and two of his men.
Caduyac said the raid was carried out before sunrise Wednesday in a house in Purok
Narra, Barangay Bagua 3, Cotabato City.
”Our
mandate is to neutralize criminal groups in the region,” Caduyac told
reporters.
The
raiding team seized three unlicensed cal. 45 pistols, a hand grenade, six Honda
XRM motorcycles without legal papers, P22,000 cash, five sachets of heat-sealed
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or locally known as ‘shabu,’ a home-made 'holen' (marble) gun which was a replica of Armalite rifle.
Andatuan
has been slapped with violation of RA 10591 o Comprehensive Law on Firearms and
Ammunition. Andatuan vehemently denied he owned the guns, shabu and motorbikes, claiming he was a law abiding citizen. He added he is willing to undergo drug testing to prove his innocence.Caduyac said the raid was conducted in partnership with the Cotabato City police office
and with a search warrant issued by Judge Ebrahim Bansawan of Regional Trial
Court (RTC Branch 13).