Ex-Pampanga mayor, 4 others nabbed for guns

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines –  A former town mayor in Pampanga and four suspected members of his supposed private armed group were arrested yesterday.

Former Arayat mayor Luis Espino; Rosendo Dizon, former chairman of Barangay Cacutud; Romy Malari, 42; Cesar Peralta, 25, and Rosauro Dillera Jr., 35. were collared by operatives of the  Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Special Action Force (SAF) and Arayat police.

SAF trooper Police Officer 2 Robert Ron Fernandez and SPO1 Joy Venturillo were wounded when Espino’s group resisted arrest and fired at them. 

An M16 rifle, three caliber .45 and two 9mm pistols, assorted ammunition and grenades as well as 19 sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were allegedly recovered from the suspects. 

The raid was based on a search warrant issued by Cabanatuan City Regional Trial Court Branch 24 Judge  Anne Marie Joson-Viterbo.

The suspects are being held at the CIDG headquarters. They are facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Chief Inspector Reynold Macabitas, CIDG-Central Luzon chief, said the raid stemmed from information they received about Espino’s alleged involvement in illegal activities, including gun running and illegal drugs.

Espino served as Arayat mayor from 2004 to 2013. He ran for mayor again under the Nationalist People’s Coalition in May, but lost in his bid. – Ric Sapnu, Ding Cervantes, Emmanuel Tupas, Cecille Suerte Felipe