Mayor in Abra province apprehended, charged for gunban violation

By Ronron
May 3, 2007

A mayor in Abra province was apprehended on Wednesday afternoon for keeping in his possession a cache of firearms and ammunition in violation allegedly of the Commission on Election (Comelec) gunban policy for this election period.

Supt. Joseph Adnol, spokesman of the Cordillera Region Police, said Mayor Antonio Domes-ag of Peñarrubia town was nabbed at around 5pm the other day (Wednesday) at his farmhouse in Barangay Lusuac of said town.

Adnol said police found the following items above two beds inside Domes-ag’s farmhouse: one AK 47; one GA shotgun; one cal. 22 rifle; one cal. 38 revolver; one magazine feed pistolized cal. 22; 16 live ammunitions for cal. 38; 16 live ammunitions for GA 12; six live ammunitions for cal. 22; one long magazine for cal. 22; three magazines for cal. 7.62; three magazines for AK 47; 81 live ammunitions for AK 47; one black inside holster for cal. 38; one brown leather holster for cal. 38; and one black nylon magazine pouch for caliber 45.

“Mayor Domes-ag, who was present at that time, failed to show pertinent documents of the firearms, which resulted to the confiscation of the said firearms and immediately arrested him,” Adnol said.

Domes-ag is a mayoralty candidate for this May 14 elections.

“The discovery of the firearms bolstered our suspicion that indeed, the mayor is maintaining a private armed group,” said Abra Police Director Sr. Supt. Alexander Pumecha when reached by phone.

Adnol and Pumecha said the discovery of the firearms at Domes-ag’s farmhouse was accidental since police were just responding to a reported shooting incident in the same barangay.

Pumecha said a certain Wilfredo Pacano, 44, a farmer, and resident of Barangay Lusuac, was reportedly shot by a certain Ferdinand Fernandez, 30, also a local resident who works for Domes-ag.

Pacano was unhurt in the reported incident.

“When the suspect noticed the responding policemen approaching, he (Fernandez) ran inside the farmhouse of Mayor Antonio Domes-ag, which prompted policemen to run after him. This led to the discovery of the above-mentioned firearms and ammunitions placed on top of two beds,” Adnol said in a statement.

Domes-ag and Fernandez were later apprehended. But since the former’s blood pressure shot up, and the latter was wounded while trying to evade arrest, the two were brought to a hospital where they remain confined as of press time.

But on Thursday morning, Pumecha said charges for violation of the Comelec Resolution 7764-A, or the gunban, were filed against Domes-ag and Fernandez before the local prosecutor’s office. Additionally, Fernandez was charged with attempted murder in relation to the shooting of Pacano.

Pumecha said the investigation continues to find out the members of the PAG that Domes-ag allegedly maintains./DMS