PROV’L CAPITOL, Laoag City, June 19– Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos has expressed deep concern about the proliferation of loose firearms in the province in the wake of the recent Calucag ambuscade in Solsona as well as police search operations in Badoc and Solsona towns where several guns and ammunition were seized from private homes.
“…Talagang puspusan nating habulin yong ating illegal firearms issue. As we know, 10,000, more or less, ang ina-assumed na firearms dito sa probinsia. Wala pang 1,000 yung rehistrado. Yun ang problema natin. So in effect, 90% plus are floating around and perhaps….,” Governor Marcos said.
She disclosed the gun statistics during a press conference here attended by provincial administrator and provincial anti-partisan armed group task force chief Windell Chua, OIC provincial director Senior Supt. Albert Erasquin Ocon, INPPO police community relations head/PIO P/Supt. Gil Gempes, PIDMB chief P/Supt. Maximo Taclas and other junior police officers.
Contrary to earlier report, the governor also clarified that she did not give the direct order to search the houses of Badoc Vice Mayor Tom Torralba and his two brothers on June 15, 2015.
She said “Di galing sa akin ang instruction as such. Pangkalahatan ang instruction ng PNP at ng batas” referring to the said police search operation at the house of the Badoc vice mayor.
“So let me just clarify, si Tom Torralba ay mahal na mahal namin ni Bongbong at ako din pero wala tayong magawa eh, kapag may kaso, ang batas pa rin ang mananaig,” she added. (Bongbong is her brother Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.)
During the same presscon, Colonel Ocon also presented to the governor the No. 6 most wanted person of Ilocos Norte who was arrested recently at his hideout in Alicia, Isabela in Region 2.
The fugitive alias “Ampopoy”, tagged by police as alleged gun for hire, faces a string of criminal cases in local courts here. (jun ramos guiang with da, ga & rj reports)
