2 farmers arrested for illegal guns in Capiz

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Two farmers were arrested in separate operations Tuesday afternoon, May 5, for alleged illegal possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition during the implementation of search warrants by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Capiz.

The operations were conducted in Barangay Sta. Fe, Pilar, and Barangay Canapian, Maayon, both in Capiz.

Police identified one suspect as Ulysses Amantillo, 43, of Barangay Sta. Fe, Pilar.

Recovered from Amantillo’s house were a 9 mm pistol, one magazine, and 31 rounds of live ammunition of the same caliber.

Search Warrant No. 16-2026 for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, was issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Lorenzito B. Diaz of Branch 17 in Roxas City on May 5.

In a separate operation, authorities arrested another farmer for the same alleged offense in Barangay Canapian, Maayon.

The search warrant was also issued by Diaz.

CIDG-Capiz identified the second suspect as Demar Villaruel, 51, of Barangay Canapian.

Recovered from Villaruel were one .45-caliber firearm, one 9 mm pistol, one 12-gauge shotgun, one .38-caliber firearm, a fragmentation grenade, 52 rounds of live ammunition of assorted calibers, and 14 rounds of live 5.56-caliber ammunition.

The suspects are under the custody of CIDG-Capiz for proper disposition and the filing of appropriate charges.