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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Saturday, September 9, 2017
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ILOILO – Policemen raided the house of Vice Mayor Francis Alicante “Ansing” Amboy of Maasin town for unlicensed firearms early morning yesterday. But they left empty-handed.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) applied for a search warrant at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 31 following an intelligence information that the vice mayor was keeping unlicensed guns in violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Amboy and Maasin mayor Mariano Malones were two of several Iloilo officials and policemen that President Rodrigo Duterte named and shamed as drug protectors in a speech August last year. The mayor and vice mayor denied the President’s allegation.
Operatives of the IPPO served the search warrant to Amboy around 5:30 a.m. They left the vice mayor’s house at Confesor Subdivision, Barangay Mabini, Maasin around 8:30 a.m. without finding the firearms listed in the warrant – .45 pistol, .9mm pistol, assorted live ammunitions, assorted magazine assemblies, and gun accessories.
Over a year since the President made the drug accusation, Amboy stressed that no drug-related charges have been filed against him.
He admitted he, his wife and three children were upset but nevertheless relieved that the raid turned “negative.”
Amboy believed he was a victim of political intrigue.
“Natural gid guro nga kon pulitiko ka, ang imo kabuhi open sa tanan nga alegasyon, pero bisan ano pa na ihaboy sa imo, magwa man gihapon ang kamatuoran,” he said.
Amboy said no less than the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency declared Maasin a drug-cleared municipality.
The vice mayor also dismissed rumors he was providing safe haven to the subgroup leaders of slain drug lord Richard Prevendido such as the fugitive Ernesto Bolivar.
According to Amboy, he used to own a gun – a .9mm – but he already surrendered it to the Maasin police station because its license expired.
He was appreciative of the raiders, he said, because they were courteous and followed protocol.
The raid, led by Chief Inspector Jonathan Pinuela, IPPO’s intelligence chief, was witnessed by the barangay officials of Mabini, Maasin.
In an interview last year right after Duterte tagged him a drug protector, Amboy said he was stunned.
“Natingala kita. Na-shock kita. Pero kampante ako kay kon nagatindog kita sa kamatuoran, siguro kamatuoan man gihapon manindugan asta sa katapusan,” said Amboy.
He, however, admitted once having a business transaction with a son of businessman Melvin Odicta Sr., a suspected drug lord.
Amboy said Odicta’s son bought his restaurant at Smallville Complex, a popular entertainment complex in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
“Indi man guro malain mangamigo sa ila,” said the vice mayor. “Wala ko kabalo sang ila personal nga negosyo. Ang akon linkage didto lang sa restaurant nga’to.”
Unidentified gunmen shot Odicta to death at the jetty port of Caticlan in Malay, Aklan on Aug. 29, 2016./PN
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