ILOILO CITY -- Three female minors were rescued by the Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 1 while serving a search warrant for unlicensed firearms against a suspect who is also facing complaints of grave threats, abduction and rape, Thursday morning.
In an interview, Police Supt. Jonathan Pablito, chief of police of ICPS 1, said they arrested Hamza Kayani, 28, after they recovered several firearms and illegal drugs in his house in Tanza Esperanza village, City Proper. From the same house, the police also rescued three girls, aged 11 to 14.
Pablito said the serving of the search warrant and the rescue of the minors were just an offshoot of the rescue operation also involving a 15-year old minor last August 17.
The minor claimed that Kayani abducted, raped, and threatened her for three weeks.
Police said the 15-year-old filed charges against the suspect for grave threats, abduction and rape, a day after her rescue.
“We rescued her while Kayani was in the hospital that time,” he said. Police then applied for a warrant based on the girl’s testimony that the suspect has firearms being used to threaten others.
Pablito added that based on intelligence reports they gathered, Kayani brings with him a firearm wherever he goes.
Late night of Wednesday, they monitored Kayani doing a Facebook live while inside his room together with the three minors, he said.
“He is showing that he is with the three minors although the video did not show any sexual act but the very fact that there are three minors in your room in a late night,” he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities recovered from Kayani’s house, one rifle grenade, two magazines of M16 rifle and .45-caliber pistol with ammunitions and 16 sachets of suspected “shabu”, which are now at the Crime Laboratory of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas).
The three minors, meanwhile, were turned over to the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Iloilo City police. They will be interviewed to determine if another complaint should be filed against the suspect.
It was only last night when they stayed with Kayani, Pablito said.
Pablito said Kayani has been identified as one of ICPS-1’s Most Wanted Persons due to a murder case relative to the death of Rogelio Amil of Ticud inside a motel in Lapaz district in September 2015.
“But due to his money and influence, somehow, his case was resolved that is why he is free now,” he said. The suspect owns a restaurant in this city.
Kayani has also been on their watch list for “Oplan Tokhang” due to his alleged link to slain drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr., he added.
At the moment, Pablito said that Kayani is under hospital arrest at West Visayas State University Medical Center after feeling agitated over what happened.
He said Kayani will face charges for violating the Comprehensive Firearms Law, Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and Illegal Possession of Explosives. (PNA)
