ROXAS, Oriental Mindoro—Town officials and residents here have asked the Commission on Elections and the Philippine National Police to look into allegations that the acting town mayor has employed a “goon” at the municipal hall prior to the elections.
A municipal watchman, Eliezer Bello, 50, was caught possessing a .9-millimeter caliber pistol, a magazine and 17 live bullets inside the municipal hall this week. Police have filed two criminal cases against him.
But Bello showed authorities a memorandum receipt for the .9 mm pistol and a high-powered M-16 automatic rifle issued by Roxas acting Mayor Violeta L. Dimapilis on March 10, 2016.
Regional Police Director Ramon C. Apolinario, Mimaropa PNP chief, said, in a press conference, that local government officials have no authority to issue MRs to employees for firearms except office supplies.
Presiding Judge Edralin C. Reyes ordered the commitment of Bello, of Barangay Libtong, this town, who was charged for violating the Comelec gun ban law covered under Omnibus Election Code and provisions of Republic Act No. 10591 for having no legal authority to own and possess firearms.
The two criminal cases against Bello, who was hired by acting Mayor Dimapilis, emanated from an incident this week when the respondent figured in a heated altercation with suspended Roxas Mayor Jackson Cinco Dy in the second-floor corridor of the municipal hall building.
Dy noticed something bulging on the right side of Bello’s waist. He thought it was a gun. Bello resisted Mayor Dy’s frisking of his waist and about to draw his gun. In front of witnesses, and after a brief struggle, Dy disarmed Bello of his pistol.
Dy brought Bello to the police station and surrendered to acting Police Chief Henry D. Malitao the loaded pistol and the live ammunitions.
Mayor Dy, however, said when police authorities filed the complaint at the office of the provincial prosecutor, the MR was changed into a new one. Instead of containing in the MR two firearms, one .9-mm pistol and an M-16 Armalite rifle, only the .9-millimeter pistol was indicated in the new MR with the same date.
The incensed Mayor Dy showed to newsmen two conflicting MRs with the same date and same signatures of Mrs. Dimapilis.
“There seems to be a cover-up to protect the involved local official,” Dy said, as he alleged that some police officials are in cahoots with some local politicians to whitewash the case.
Acting Mayor Dimapilis is running against Mayor Dy’s daughter, Samantha Jade Dy, in the Roxas mayoral race. The suspended mayor is the running mate of Samantha Jade.
The regional police director also showed to local newsmen a total of 99 firearms, 80 short and 19 long firearms, which were either seized, confiscated or voluntarily surrendered to Oriental Mindoro provincial police authorities under the PNP’s “Oplan Katok” and “One Time, Big Time” operations.