GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Police arrested a rebel returnee after yielding an unlicensed handgun in a raid at a coastal village here on Sunday.
Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, city police director, said Monday suspect Jimmy Gicale Lawas alias “Danao”, 45, was nabbed during a search operation at his house in Phase 1-B, Purok Changco, Barangay Bawing.
He said the raid was based on a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition issued last Sept. 26 by Judge Oscar Noel of the Regional Trial Court Branch 35 here.
The operating team was composed elements from the city police’s Intelligence Branch, Police Station-5 and the City Mobile Force Company.
Supiter said they recovered from the suspect’s house a Norinco caliber .45 pistol loaded with six ammunition.
He said Lawas was a former member of the New People’s Army and settled in the area after he voluntarily surrendered several years ago.
“We earlier received a tip from an informant that he (Lawas) has been carrying an illegal firearm,” he said.
Supiter said the operation was compliance with a directive issued by Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco, regional director of the Police Regional Office-12, to intensify their operations against loose firearms.
He said the move was part of the strategies adopted by the regional office to deter the occurrence of gun-related crime in local communities.
Lawas, who is currently detained at the City Police Station 5, will be charged with violation of Republic Act 10591, the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act“. (PNA)
