ILOILO CITY — The incumbent mayor of Sara, Iloilo was arrested while two relatives of her husband were killed when they shot it out with policemen serving search warrants on Wednesday.
Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6), identified the arrested mayor as Ermelita Salcedo, whose husband former Sara mayor Neptali, was one of the subjects of the search warrants.
The search warrants were issued for their alleged involvement in illegal drugs, gun-for-hire, maintaining private armed groups, murder and robbery cases.
Ermelita was not included in the warrants but was apprehended “because of constructive possession of firearms,” found in their house, said Bulalacao in a press conference. He added the mayor is under the custody of PRO-6.
The police official added that some of the firearms recovered could be government property.
Bulalacao said the police operation resulted in the death of two subjects of the warrants, identified as dismissed police officer Nerio Salcedo, 53, and his nephew Nixon Salcedo Jr., 35, both from Barangay Poblacion Ilawod, Sara.
“When our policemen stepped in at the front of the house, they already fired and our policemen retaliated,” he said.
Aside from the mayor, a certain Nestor Arante of Sitio Cambang Bato, Bariga, Banate was arrested in a separate police raid.
Bulalacao said 15 search warrants were issued by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge and were simultaneously served in the towns of Sara, Lemery, Banate and Estancia.
Around 300 policemen made up of composite teams from the Iloilo Provincial Police Office, 6th Special Action Force Battalion, and the Iloilo City Police Office Special Weapons and Tactics conducted the simultaneous raids.
He said the simultaneous service of search warrants were their compliance to the directive of Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde to ensure peaceful and orderly 2019 elections.
He said that he has been receiving reports about the Salcedos when he assumed office last June.
Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. on Thursday said the incident is a “very clear warning” to other politicians and private individuals who are illegally possessing firearms and illegal drugs.
“That will ensure that the incoming election in Iloilo province, particularly in the fifth district will be peaceful and orderly,” he said. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
