CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna –Operatives of Police Regional Office (PRO) Calabarzon arrested on Tuesday the village chief of Santa Clara, Santo Tomas, Batangas for loose firearms and ammunition during the implementation of a search warrant.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Calabarzon police director, said operatives from the Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU) and Regional Intelligence Division (RID), in coordination with the Santo Tomas Municipal Police Station, arrested Jay Castillo Monterola, 41, village chief of Santa Clara, Santo Tomas, Batangas by virtue of a search warrant issued by the Hon. Judge Agripino Morga of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 29-32 of San Pablo City, Laguna.
“Our men on the ground have been monitoring the movements of this barangay (village) chairperson and upon establishing the facts of him illegally possessing firearms, we immediately requested for the search warrant from Judge Morga,” Eleazar said.
Eleazar said found in the possession of the village chief were a Caliber 30 Carbine rifle; two Caliber 45 pistols; six Caliber 45 magazines; 56 live ammunition for Caliber 30 Carbine rifle; two magazines for Carbine rifle; and 43 live ammunition for Caliber 45 pistol.
According to Eleazar, Monterola has served for two terms as village councillor and was appointed officer-in-charge (OIC) when former Village Chief Leoner Angeles took a leave of absence in October 2016.
During his term as OIC, the village council (Sangguniang Barangay) passed a resolution approving a quarry operation in their area of jurisdiction which was questioned by Angeles upon reassuming her post as village chief.
Few days later, Angeles was killed inside the Barangay Hall.
Eleazar added that Monterola was among the respondents for the killing of alias Carding in front of Santa Clara Barangay Hall in 2014. Alias Carding was the father-in-law of Eric Jaurique, Monterola’s political opponent in the recently concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Election.
“We are not making conclusions, however, we will conduct an in depth investigation pertaining to the circumstances on his alleged involvement on the said shooting incidents,” said Eleazar.
Meanwhile, two persons were also arrested during the implementation of the search warrant. They were identified as Crizaldo DC Castillo, 49, a native of Sariaya, Quezon, Monterola’s bodyguard; and Samuel A. Gordora, 47, village police (Tanod), a native of Eastern Samar. Both were believed to be members of Monterola’s armed group.
Eleazar enjoined the public to report any suspicious activities in their areas to RD’s Hotline “Pulis na Abusado at Pusher na Pang Asar…Agad i-Text mo kay General Eleazar” at 0945-764-4414 for Globe subscribers and 0908-777-9992 for Smart subscribers.
“We encourage the community to report illegal and suspicious activities in their area so that we could make proper validation and appropriate action,” he said. (Rene Alviar and Zen Trinidad/PNA)
