SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao — Joint police and military forces have arrested a former police officer and his companion in a raid that also led to the recovery of high-powered firearms in this town, a top police official announced Wednesday.
Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, director of the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM), said the raid was carried out based on a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 12 Judge Bansawan Ibrahim for violation of Republic Act No. 10591, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Mijares said Allan Esmael, a former police officer, and his companion, Suharto Mangacop, did not resist when the lawmen raided Esmael’s house in Barangay Crossing Simuay here at about 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Esmael was previously assigned with PRO-ARMM but went on absence without official leave, he said, adding that recovered from Esmael’s residence were an M-14 rifle; an M-16 Armalite rifle; a caliber .40 pistol; ammunition for AK-47 rifle; a 9-mm. pistol; a homemade caliber .22 revolver; one rocket-propelled grenade; and assorted ammunition.
The raid was jointly led by Chief Insp. Esmael Madin, police chief of this town, and Supt. James Logan of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in ARMM director. They were backed by personnel of the Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion.
Mijiares said the search warrant was served in an orderly and peaceful manner with the presence of the barangay officials.
“The arrested persons were informed of the reasons of their arrest and were appraised of their constitutional rights,” he said.
They were detained at the lock-up cell of the local police headquarters.
Esmael and Mangacop are facing charges for violation of RA 10591 and RA 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosive). (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
