Philippine National Police provincial police director, Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, insisted Monday that the arrest of two suspected guns-for-hire in Bonawon, Siaton town in Negros Oriental was lawful.

Carranza made the statement after Rep. Pryde Henry Teves (Neg. Or., 3rd District) expressed concern over alleged inconsistencies and the “questionable” way in the arrest of suspects Anthony Eleuterio and Herman Escoro who, police officials said, were allegedly contracted to take out Gov. Roel Degamo.

The suspects were arrested in Bonawon, a barangay where the governor’s residence is located, and where majority of the residents are said to be related and loyal to him. In fact, the physical injuries sustained by the two during their arrest are believed to have been inflicted by residents and not by police personnel and the governor’s security escorts, as claimed by the suspects.

Eleuterio and Escoro had claimed that the Ingram machine pistol, .45 caliber hand gun, live rounds of ammunition and two hand grenades purportedly recovered from them, were “planted”.

Carranza said that if there are questions over their arrest, it is now the court that will resolve these. The suspects have been charged with separate complaints of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and a non-bailable offense of illegal possession of explosives.

Carranza also stressed that Eleuterio and Escoro had been under close surveillance since last year, and their names are in the watch list of suspected guns-for-hire.*JFP

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