City to help 2 arrested ‘kaps’

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Association of Barangay Councils will provide legal assistance to the two barangay captains who were apprehended for illegal possession of firearms.

ABC President Franklyn Ong said both Lusaran Barangay Captain Agustin Partulan and Calamba Barangay Captain Victor “Jojo” Quijano will be assisted by legal counsels of the barangay council.

“Dili lang sa ko mo-comment sa pagdakop kay it’s still under investigation sa mga police. Let the police do their work,” Ong said.

Last Friday, police conducted separate operations for the arrest of the two barangay officials.

Ong said ABC will extend legal assistance and other assistance to Partulan and Quijano.

“If you remember before, one of the activities pag ABC assembly is to help them secure their LTOPF. Some of the barangay captains have already secured their LTOPF but not all of them have guns,” Ong added.

Last year, he said the ABC Cebu City Chapter has allocated over P100,000 to shoulder the expenses for the processing of license to own and possess firearms of 80 barangay captains.

Ong said personnel from the Police Regional Office-7 responsible for the processing of LTOPF were deployed at Harold’s Hotel to exclusively process the license of the barangay captains.

However, he said the barangay captains were already given the discretion to complete the process in getting the license.

Ong urged all barangay officials to process the carrying of their firearms because the barangay council has already started to assist them.

The law provides that barangay captains are allowed to carry firearms. To do so, Ong said they should secure LTOPF and submit the requirements.

“Naay ubang mga barangay captains nga wala mikompleto sa ilang requirements. Igo rami ni facilitate sa ilang application,” he said.

Among the processes to secure LTOPF are taking the neuro-psychological test, undergoing drug test, attend gun safety seminars, among others.

Tanods Killed

Meanwhile, the tanods who were killed in a shootout with policemen in Barangay Lusaran last Friday were reportedly “hitmen” of a politician.

Tanods Renato Bughaw Goc-ong and Reynaldo Laguna were killed during the issuance of a search warrant against. The police claimed the two reportedly shoot it out with the authorities.

Goc-ong’s wife, Emma Bajad, was also killed when she allegedly shielded her husband during the shootout.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Debold Sinas added that the two are couriers of a notable drug pusher in the area.

"They're suspected na isa to sa mga street level couriers nga mag-transfer (og drugs.  Pag street level na vendors ng shabu ug protector mao ni kusog mangaway," Sinas said.

Sinas has also awarded Police Officer 3 Pacheco Pulgo, a member of the Cebu Mobile Force Company (CMFC), who was wounded in the shootout.

CMFC Chief Chuck Barandog said that based on a report that they received, Goc-ong and Laguna are also members of a gun-for-hire group.

"Kanang mga tawhana they are gun for hire sa bukid for so many years..grupo na sila. Last barangay election last year, katong mga reklamo sa bukid na naay armed group nga sighted sila to, sila tong grupoha," Barandog said.

My Pa Surrendered

Goc-ong’s son said his father surrendered after the firefight, but the police operatives still finished him off.

Barandog denied the allegation.

He said that when they introduced themselves to Emma that they are there to serve the search warrant, the wife reportedly went inside and locked their house.

When Pulgo went in to check, Goc-ong reportedly shot him. Luckily, the bullet hit the bulletproof vest he was wearing. He said he was thrown off by the impact of the bullet that hit him. — Camille L. Pateres GAN (FREEMAN)