Four of 10 alleged goons freed

CEBU, Philippines - Four of the 10 alleged political goons invited by the Alegria police for questioning last Friday were released Saturday evening after they cleared.

The four were held following the arrest of the six armed men hired by politicians allegedly under One Cebu party.

PO2 Jonathan Calabroso, Alegria Police Station desk officer, clarified that Ronaldo Bacus, 43; his son Jonald Bacus, 20; Gilbert Bautista and Mario Bacoli, both of Barangay Ermita, Cebu City; were only hired by a certain Edwin Alcordo, a barangay tanod in the said barangay to become poll watchers.

Calabroso also said the four men were not arrested but only invited by the police for questioning.

The four said that they were asked by Alcordo to become watchers during the election. However, police no longer elaborated what party was involved.

Police also clarified that four men were not armed. They were then turned over to their families who went to the police station.

Alegria police chief Insp. Sandy Roble said last Saturday morning, some parents from Cebu City went to the station to lodge a report that their sons were allegedly hired by political candidates of the town which they only found out after news came out of the first six that were arrested.

Without evidence that the men were there for illegal activities, the police sent them home since they were not from Alegria.

Alegria police are set to file charges today for election gun ban and possession of illegal drugs at the fiscal's office against Michael Gramatica, 23; Jojie Alforque, 24; Larry Paulo, 22; Odion Pastor, 23; John Carl Dakay, 24 and Alfer Tupas, 24.

A case for violating the Omnibus Election Code will also be filed if found they worked for politicians.

The six suspects were arrested in Barangay Lipanto. A .357 cal. revolver with three rounds was found on Pastor while Paulo allegedly had three small packets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, the Santander police will also file today appropriate charges against Arnel Posadas, 20; Arnel Estoque, 21; Rican Valiente, 22; and Glenn Merlo, 22, all from Siaton, Negros Oriental.

They were arrested for possessing firearms, illegal drugs, and a sample ballot with cash at 6 p.m.

The sample ballots were said to have showed the shaded ovals for candidates running under One Cebu, UNA and the ANAD partylist.

Suspect, however, denied the allegations and claimed that the evidence was planted by the police.

Meanwhile, Junjie Manda, spokesman of Alegria Mayor Milette Guisadio presented residents of the town yesterday who complained against the Regional Mobile Group who allegedly went to one of the headquarters of the One Cebu party in Alegria along with Liberal Party supporters and candidates.

When asked if they will file a case, Manda said that everything is under study as to who led the investigation and who authorized them to pursue the investigation.

In another development six armed men were apprehended by the Regional Public Safety Battalion and the Tuburan police at a checkpoint at 9 p.m. yesterday in Barangay Daanlungsod, Tuburan town.

As of press time, police refused to disclose names of the suspects pending tactical interrogation.

Seized from the suspects were several firearms, ammunitions and two hand grenades.

The suspects, who allegedly came from Iloilo City, were reportedly on board a pick up with license plate numbers YAC-172 when apprehended by the police. They were reportedly acting suspicious which prompted the police to check inside the vehicle where they found the guns.

They are are now detained at the Tuburan police stockade.   (FREEMAN)