PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- Police authorities in the northern Palawan island town of Culion have detained 12 armed men wearing military uniforms and reportedly out to set up a camp in one of the coastal communities.
Culion Mayor Virginia de Vera on Friday told local media that the armed men, believed to be residents of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, were arrested by personnel of the Municipal Police Station (MPS) on November 15 in the coastal community of Pusot Shore, Sitio Lubog in Barangay Decarabao, Culion.
She stated that it was fortunate that the armed men were stopped from their intention to supposedly set up a camp on Pusot Shore.
Her statement was corroborated by a Culion MPS spot report obtained by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) also on Friday which claimed that in the afternoon of November 14, a resident of the area informed that “a group of unidentified persons on board two Fuso boats arrived at Pusot Shore and disembarked ” with high- and low-powered firearms.
The spot report identified those arrested as Ronald Raymundo Valdez, 48; Judy Masion Melagracia, 29; Joseph CavalleroTugbo, 39; Harry Valdez Bautista, 44; Angelo Lutino Mabilin, 21; Rencel Blando Valdez, 25; Jerry Serrano Valdez, 36; Ronaldo Bitoon Edradan, 35; Wilmar del Pilar dela Cruz, 40; Reynante Mateo Garay, 38; Garry Gonzales Mateo, 39; and Raymark Ladublan Manzano, 26 – all residents of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
Seized from suspects were different calibers of guns, ammunition, chainsaw, communication devices and other paraphernalia.
Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO) chief Senior Superintendent Gabriel Lopez said the 12 armed men were transported to Puerto Princesa for proper disposition of their cases.
“Until now, we are still investigating what their group is all about, and who are they receiving their orders from,” Lopez said.
He disclosed some of the armed men were wearing fatigue uniforms, typical of the Philippine Army.
“Right now, they’re not talking yet. They’re not giving us any information that is why our investigation is ongoing,” he added, supplying that some firearms were found to be licensed to other people.
“Even if they claim that they own the guns, if they cannot show permits to carry, then that’s still illegal possession of firearms,” he said.
Lopez said part of their investigation is to find out if the armed men are members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
“We are in the process of verifying their identities if they are indeed from San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. We have coordinated this also to the provincial director of the PNP there,” Lopez said.
“There are reports that there is a family they wanted to drive away from the (Pusot Shore) area. According to reports, this family has left the area and we are looking into this too,” he said.
The Culion mayor said Decarabao barangay chairman Marilyn Credo might be called in for questioning by the police after her name allegedly cropped up in the initial investigation.
De Vera assured residents not to fear as the suspects were already apprehended as she urged the people to continue monitoring and immediately report suspicious persons.
Culion is a third class municipality in Palawan consisted primarily of Culion Island as well as 41 minor surrounding islands, as part of Calamianes Group of Islands. It was a leprosarium under the American Commonwealth of the Philippines. (PNA)
