On the same day, the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) implemented a gun ban in the province. The move came six days after the killings of the province’s governor, Roel Degamo, and eight others in the public official’s residence in Pamplona town.
“All permits to carry firearms outside residence are hereby suspended in Negros Oriental until further notice,” the Noppo said in a Facebook post.
“Only the members of the PNP (Philippine National Police), Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms,” it added.
In the raid, police recovered a hand grenade, .45 pistol along with a magazine, .40 Glock pistol with a magazine, .40 caliber pistol with a magazine, one rifle scope, seven rounds of ammunition for the .45 pistol, and 50 rounds of ammunition for the .40 pistol, according to a report from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
The CIDG said the licenses of the recovered firearms are undergoing verification.
One person identified as Jose Palo Gimarangan was arrested during the raid in the house located in Purok 4 Barangay Poblacion, Basay, Negros Oriental. The raid was conducted from 5:50 to 7:35 a.m.
The operation was part of the CIDG’s Oplan Paglalansag Omega, which is against the proliferation of loose firearms.
The CIDG earlier filed murder charges against Teves and several others over the killing of three individuals in the said province in 2019.
Teves, who has been tagged as the mastermind behind Degamo’s assassination, has denied any involvement in the governor’s murder.
In Cebu, the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) will give additional security to the government officials in the city following the killings of Degamo and eight others.
LCPO Director Col. Elmer Lim said they will provide police officers as additional close-in security for incumbent city government officials, particularly Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan and his wife, Lone District Rep. Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan. As to the number of additional security detail for the officials, Lim did not mention it.
Lim said there is an ongoing threat assessment among the city officials, including Vice Mayor Celedonio “Celsi” Sitoy and members of the City Council.
The police official, however, clarified that not all government officials will be given additional security since this would depend on the result of their threat assessment.
Public officials who receive any threats may request an investigation as well as security, Lim said. (TPM, MKG)