A former member of the New People's Army was arrested yesterday by a combined team of Regional Intelligence Unit 6 and local police in Talisay City, for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

Supt. Joresty Coronica, Talisay City police chief, said the arrest of Rodolfo Canieso, an ex-NPA member, yielded an AK-47 assault rifle with a magazine containing 15 live ammunition, a 357 Magnum revolver with 15 bullets, and 12 more assorted ammunition.

On Tuesday, a barangay chairman, who survived a massacre in 2011, surrendered an M16 assault rifle and two homemade shotguns with ammunition to the Philippine Army and police Special Action Force in Silay City, Negros Occidental.

Supt. Rosauro Francisco, Silay City police chief, said yesterday that the three firearms and 45 ammunition of Elisco M16 rifle with serial number RP 18642, and 12 gauge shotgun have already been turned over to the PNP Crime Laboratory for ballistic examinations.

Francisco said a combined team of Army and SAF troopers were conducting a joint operation in Brgy. Kapitan Ramon and neighboring areas in Silay City, when barangay chairman Ramon Celebre surrendered the assault rifle and two homemade shotguns to them.

However, it has not yet been determined who are the owners of the guns surrendered by Celebre.

Celebre survived the March 6, 2011 massacre of Kapitan Ramon barangay officials, that perpetrated by former Punong Barangay Noel Ayalin, who is now serving a jail term of 240 years for murder and frustrated murder charges.

Meanwhile, Coronica said the arrest of Canieso was made after the combined team of RIU 6 operatives and his men raided the suspect's residence in Hacienda Catamnan 2, Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City, by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Anita Guanzon-Chua.

Coronica said that complaints have been aired against Canieso for possession of the firearms.

Francisco also reiterated his call for owners of licensed firearms, who failed to renew their licenses, to deposit their guns at the Silay City Police Station, while they are renewing their licenses.

Since January, the Silay police has accounted for 11 unlicensed firearms, and their owners are now facing charges for their illegal possession.*GPB

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