8,860 firearms in Bacolod
have expired licenses: cop

There are 8,860 firearms with expired licenses in Bacolod City, Senior Insp. Lester Leada, head of the city police Firearms, Explosives Security Service Agency and Guards Supervisory Section, said yesterday.

He added of these expired licenses, 6,589 belonged to individual gun holders and the rest owned by juridical entities, like security agencies.

Leada said, so far, they had sent letters to 6,812 gun holders, and reminded them to renew their licenses, or their firearms will be declared as loose guns.

Leada added that, as of January 2013, there were about 16,108 individuals and juridical entities with guns.

Bacolod City policemen have started conducting house-to-house visit to individuals and entities with expired gun licenses, and said if they fail to renew their papers, the FESSAGS will be forced to secure search warrants and confiscate the guns.

Leada also called on the public to report to the police anyone with unlicensed guns.*APN

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IN LA CASTELLANA
CHR mulls aid to kin
of ambush victims

The Commission on Human Rights will likely extend financial assistance to families of civilians, who were ambushed in Brgy. Puso, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, in January, its provincial officer, Romeo Baldevarona, said yesterday.

Eight civilians and a policeman were killed, and 12 others injured, in the January 27 ambush that was later owned up by the New People’s Army.

Baldevarona said the financial assistance is still subject for approval by the CHR central office, and its release may take time.

The CHR regional office investigated the ambush, but Baldevarona said he is not aware of any updates of the probe yet.

Members of the Peace Advocates of Negros, Diocese of Kabankalan Social Action Center, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and volunteer-psychologists are conducting trauma healing efforts on residents of Brgy. Puso to enable them to cope with the effects of the ambush.

Eddie Mateo, brother of ambush victim Jonathan Mateo, hanged himself last month in Brgy. Cabacungan, La Castellana, because of depression, police records show.

His two sisters are now undergoing critical incident stress debriefing.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental, and La Castellana officials have also extended financial assistance to the families of the victims.*GPB

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‘Robber’ nabbed

A man was arrested in a follow-up operation by Station 3 policemen after he allegedly robbed a vulcanizing shop in Brgy. Banago, Bacolod City, Wednesday.

Station 3 chief, Senior Insp. Dianne Grace Aquitania identified the one arrested as Abner Abalos, 35, of Purok Tinagong Paraiso in Brgy. Banago.

Abalos was arrested on complaints of Julito Telmoso, 49, owner of the vulcanizing shop at the circumferential road in Banago, who claimed he saw the suspect stealing the P20,000 in cash kept in a pouch.

The suspect initially escaped with the money but was arrested a few minutes later near the vulcanizing shop.

He is now detained at the lockup cell of Police Station 3, and robbery charges were filed against him.*APN

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