By CYRUS M. GARDE and GERALD R. DEVERA
BACOLOD City — A cache of firearms and ammunition has been recovered by authorities during a raid in a posh subdivision in this city.
The items’ alleged owner, Eugene Angelo Gawat, was charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
Operatives of the Regional Intelligence Unit swooped down on the house rented by Gawat at No. 85 San Fernando–San Carlos Avenue West, Sta. Clara Subdivision, Brgy. Banago, at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The operation, led by Supt. Ronald Allan Gepana, was staged on the strength of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 51 Judge Anita Guanzon–Chua.
The house was owned by a certain Benjamin Jalandoni.
Authorities seized from a Toyota Hi-Ace Van (plate number: BDW 122) were 16 AK-47 rifles, 125 empty magazines, boxes of assorted live ammunition, 25 jungle knives, 26 leather magazine pouches and 25 cleaning kits.
The van was parked at the garage and covered with a canvass canopy.
The operatives also recovered from Gawat’s room 60 assorted ammunition, and in another room, a steel cabinet containing two long-barrel shotguns, a .30-caliber rifle and two .45-caliber pistols.
Gawat was not around during the raid, only his mother Suzette Lacson and two house helps.
Atty. Joy Barbasa, the suspect’s lawyer, had said the seized firearms were licensed but later said not all the firearms belonged to his client.
Gawat, a native of Pulupandan town, was the current president of the Rotary Club Bacolod–South. From being a vice president, he took over the presidency from Dr. Chris Sorongon.
Sorongon said Gawit was a nurse and a friendly and “sports-minded” person.
He said that he could not believe Gawat was capable of hoarding a huge supply of firearms and ammunition and that it is impossible for Gawat to be involved in any illegal activity.
Sorongon said Gawat has been a good Rotarian, actively spearheading civic activities.
He said the suspect has also been operating legitimate businesses in the United States and went home to this city only to take care of his mother.
Police were trying to determine if the firearms were the same ones that went missing from the Philippine National Police national headquarters.
Councilor El Cid Familiaran expressed concern over the recent seizures of drugs and unlicensed firearms in the city.
“This is a challenge to the Bacolod City Police Office and [the police city director] Senior Supt. Pedrito Escarilla,” he stressed.
Familiaran, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on police matters, wonders why operatives from the Police Regional Office 6 and not the city police conducted the raid.
There must be a problem with the local police intelligence, he said. (With a report from Eugene Adiong/PN)
