Negros mayor faces gun raps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Mayor Magdaleno  Peña, of Pulupandan town in Negros Occidental, and four others are facing charges for illegal firearms and explosives before the Department of Justice, police said yesterday.

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Special Action Force (SAF) raided Peña’s residence in Barangay Ubay last May 2 and reportedly found 90 firearms and explosives.

The raid was based on a search warrant issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Maria Filomena Singh.

Chief Superintendent Jose Maria Espina, chief of the CIDG-Anti-Organized Crime Division, said the charges against Peña and his four co-accused – Florante Pondales, Joey Yunque, Rolly Escaran and Diogo Anciano – were filed last May 15.

The four were at Peña’s residence when the raid was conducted.

Peña, who is on his last term, was succeeded by his son, Miguel, who was unopposed in the mayoral race. 

Espina said of the 90 firearms seized from Peña’s house, 12 were unregistered.

The official also denied the mayor’s claims that the explosives recovered by the raiding team were planted.