ILOILO CITY , Philippines — Criminal charges have been filed against 16 persons arrested in simultaneous police operations in Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz, Capiz on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Joem Malong, Western Visayas police spokesman, said the suspects were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Twenty-six caliber .45 pistols, 26 rifle grenades, 13 hand grenades, eight improvised guns, a caliber .38 revolver, a submachine gun, two air rifles, assorted magazines and ammunition and bandoleers were reportedly recovered from the suspects.
Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, said the search warrants stemmed from complaints of residents in the areas.
“The service of the search warrants became a bloody encounter when the other subjects put up a fight against the operatives,” Miranda said.
Maurito Diaz Sr. of Barangay Tacayan, Eliseo Gayas Jr. of Aglinab, Artilito Katipunan of Acuña, Jomar Vidal of Daan-Sur, Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Nayawan and Roy Giganto, Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre of Lahug in Tapaz were killed in alleged shootouts with law enforcers.
Police said Fortunato Legario of Garangan in Calinog and Allan Caspillo of Tacayan and Abelardo Diaz of Nayawan, both in Tapaz, remain at large.
Miranda maintained that the fatalities were New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and that the operations were legitimate.
Sandugo, a coalition of indigenous peoples organizations, said those killed were not NPA rebels but leaders of the indigenous tribe Tumandok. Relatives of some of those killed also said there was no armed encounter with police.
Lt. Col. Gervacio Balmaceda Jr., Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Western Visayas chief, said the operations were part of the CIDG’s campaign against loose firearms and explosives dubbed Oplan Panlalansag Omega.