A government prosecutor has ordered the release of a town councilor in Negros Oriental, charged for illegal possession of firearms with two of his workers, pending further investigation.

Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Ramon Antonio Vicente Rocamora said that while Bacong Councilor Jason Laure has claimed ownership of the weapons, responding policemen from Sibulan town, did not recover the guns from his possession, but from his workers, identified as Christopher Palalon, 37, married, of Zamboanguita town; and Renato Belocora, 25, single, of Barangay Nangka, in Bayawan City, all in Negros Oriental.

The three were arrested Tuesday at a quarry site in Barangay Looc, Sibulan, after a call from a concerned citizen who told the police that unidentified men had fired their weapons in the area.

The police recovered from Palalon a 223-556 M4 caliber with serial number JCS-032568, loaded with a magazine containing 29 rounds of live ammunition, and a KG-9MM sub-machine gun, with SN 471072, loaded with a magazine with 23 rounds of live ammunition from Belocora.

Rocamora presided over the inquest proceedings after the police officers filed the complaint against the three, Wednesday.

The prosecutor said that although Laure has been released, this does not mean the he is “scot-free”.*

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