| | 7
armed men nabbed
Police and military intelligence have proven
right when a band of armed men linked to a politician were arrested in Candijay
town last Tuesday while other groups are expected to arrive in the province as
local candidates brace for an election showdown.
However,
despite confirmed sightings of armed men, the prevailing "black propaganda"
and "character assassination" between political rivals, the military
still considers Bohol as "generally peaceful".
Intelligence
reports gathered indicate that armed elements coming from dreaded crime groups
such as the Kuratong Baleleng and armed syndicates or guns-for-hire from traditional
hotspots such as Masbate province, have sneaked into the shores of Bohol being
contracted as private goons of politicians.
PLOT
TO KILL MAYOR
Policemen
detailed at the Candijay PNP station led by P/Insp. Alfredo Kuhay intercepted
seven persons aboard an ambulance owned by a non-government organization at around
6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Poblacion, Candijay. Three of the 7 men were armed with .45
caliber pistols.
Arrested
were Danny Dologmanding, 41, a native of San Roque, Iloilo; Benjamin Agliam, 24,
from Binmaley, Pangasinan; George Villalun, 26, from Calitan, Capiz; Abraham Borinaga,
45, from Las Pinas, Metro Manila; and Rhyan Lopez, 23, from Gumaga, Quezon.
The
group have allegedly been holed up at the Community Awareness and Services for
Ecological Concerns (Casec) the past two weeks. The executive director of said
NGO happens to be the husband of reelectionist Vice Mayor Ann Piquero-Dy.
| | | Prior
to the arrest, the Candijay PNP received a complaint that the group harassed brothers
Edwin, 24, and Alberto, 21, at a store in Poblacion, Candijay on the same day.
There
were also unconfirmed claims that the group may have been hired to kill reelectionist
Candijay Mayor Sergio Amora who filed charges of grave threats against the suspected
goons.
Amora's
reelection bid is challenged by Trygve Olaivar, an ally of Vice Mayor Dy.
The
Comelec and the Candijay PNP also slapped separate charges against Dologmanding,
Borinaga and Agliam for violating the election gun ban. | PASG
PERSONNEL
When
police arrested the suspected goons, they claimed to be personnel of the Presidential
Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) showing identification cards, firearms licenses and
firearm permits to carry including a certification from Comelec Manila that they
are exempt from the gun ban.
However,
all of them were in civilian clothes at the time of the arrest.
PASG
director Rommel Montano also said he did not know anyone of the arrested suspects
adding he also did not receive an advise from headquarters.
INTELLIGENCE
REPORT
During
the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Provincial
Development Council and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last Tuesday, Major Orlando
Sampayan of the Military Intelligence Group, reported that they had already monitored
in the second and third districts mysterious personalities believed to be hired
goons from Masbate, Bukidnon and Osamis.
In
his report, Sampayan placed this information under political situation, in addition
to the assessment on the present situation that shows "political schemes
and maneuvers observed in the province such as exchanging allegations of anomalies,
black propaganda, and character assassination".
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