The Department of Justice has required the mayor and vice mayor of Batuan town in Masbate to answer the complaint filed by the police against them, in connection with the high-powered firearms and explosives seized from their house and resort early this month.
In an order dated Feb. 19, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Josie Christin Dugay ordered Mayor Charmax Jan Yuson and his father, Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III, to submit their respective counter-affidavits on the charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in violation of Section 28, Paragraph (a) of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulation Act.
“Under and by virtue of the authority vested in us by law, you are hereby directed to submit your counter-affidavits and other supporting documents, or affidavits of witness/witnesses, if any, to be sworn before us on March 1, 2019 at 2p.m. and on March 12, 2019 at 10a.m. at the Department of Justice, Padre Faura, Manila,” the order stated.
Failure on the part of the Yusons to answer the charges “shall be considered as a waiver to present your defense in this preliminary investigation,” the panel warned.
The complaint was filed after a joint military and police team raided the mayor’s residence and his father’s beach resort in Batuan where an Armalite rifle and a fragmentation grenade were recovered from the former’s residence.
Seized from his father’s beach resort were an M16 Bushmaster rifle, two 12-gauge shotguns, a 45 caliber Colt pistol, three 38 caliber revolvers without serial number and a hand grenade.
The police said only the mayor has firearms licenses but these are only for a 12-gauge shotgun, two Glock pistols and an S5-PVAR rifle.
The Yusons were not present during the operation and the raiding team arrested the vice mayor’s security guard, Jeason Clemente, who was armed with a shotgun.
The raid was carried out based on a search warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 37 Executive Judge Virgilio Macaraig.