By NITZ ARANCON with A.L. RICALDE, Correspondents
THE Martial Law Special Action Group yesterday raided the house of a barangay chairman and concurrent municipal councilor for high-powered firearms, and arrested the official in a Bukidnon town.
Authorities were preparing to press charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition against 58-year old Eliazar Ebona of Zone 5, Barangay Gango in Libona town.
Ebona is Gango’s barangay chairman and is Libona’s Liga ng mga Barangay president and representative to the town council.
Supt. Melgar Devaras, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in northern Mindanao, said Ebona used to serve as a militiaman.
The official’s house was raided at around 5 am yesterday based on a search warrant issued by the 43rd branch of the Regional Trial Court Branch in Gingoog City.
Devaras said the raiding team seized three caliber 22 rifles, an AK47 rifle, M4 rifle, two caliber 45 pistols, a bullet proof vest, and assorted ammunition.
Authorities handcuffed Ebona and brought him to the CIDG headquarters here where was placed under detention.
Devaras said many townsfolk in Gango, Libona complained about their barangay chairman who supposedly turned the village’s Ronda Tanod into a private armed group to protect his alleged mining interests. He said Ebona was also alleged to be trigger-happy.
Ebona denied Devaras’s allegations that he was maintaining a private armed group to protect mining interests and that he was frequently firing guns.
He said all the weapons were licensed.
Ebona said he needed the firearms to protect himself and his family from the New People’s Army, citing his record as a former member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit.
Libona Mayor Leonardo Calingasan said he was surprised about Ebona’s arrest, saying he could vouch that the barangay official has a clean record in his town.
“Bo-otan man na si kapitan, kay ako man gani na siyang ABC president ug akong kaabag sa kampanya batok sa illegal drugs,” Calingasan said.
He said he suspected that people behind illegal drug operations in Libona had a hand in Ebona’s arrest.
“Basin nanimalos lang kaniya ang mga suspect sa illegal drugs sa among lungsod nga among gipangdakop,” Calingasan said.
Meanwhile, police arrested a retired Army soldiers for alleged illegal possession of firearm and ammunition during a raid in Barangay Baikingon, this city, on Thursday.
Armed with a search warrant, a team led by Senior Insp. Ian Neoh Datiles, chief of the Bulua police, swooped down on the house of Joel Jabien, 49, in Baikingon.
Police seized from Jabien’s house a caliber 45 pistol, assorted ammunition, and gun accessories.
Authorities said Jabien had gun license that expired years ago.
PO3 Emer Arabi said Jabien, who is not considered a “person of interest,” could bail out.
“Wala siyay lain nga mga kaso,” Arabi said.
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