Police deny politics in Davao Sur mayor's arrest


Saturday, August 4, 2012
POLICE authorities, who arrested Mayor James Joyce of Jose Abad Santos town and six of his bodyguards in a raid Thursday morning, denied politics as the reason behind the arrests.
Superintendent Leonardo Felonia, chief of the Philippine National Police-Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) Regional Intelligence Unit, said the operation was conducted by virtue of a search warrant issued by Manila Executive Judge Marino dela Cruz Jr. of the Regional Trial Court National Judicial Region Branch 22.
"We validated the intelligence reports and so we applied for a search warrant in Manila last week and conducted the raid," Felonia said.
Felonia said charges of violation of Republic Act 8294, otherwise known as Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives, were filed before the City Prosecution Office in Digos City against Joyce and his security aides namely Ronnie Pandamon, Arnel Dionesio, Victorino Venancio, Hernan Miguel, Floro Arquillano, and Boroy Tilo.
Twelve high-powered guns, including an Israeli-made Tavor assault rifle, were recovered from the Joyce’s house in sitio Taisay, Caburan Small during the raid at 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
A Tavor assault rifle could amount to more than P700,000, making it one of the most expensive high-powered firearms in the world.
Mayor Joyce, in television interview, said all the firearms confiscated from him are covered with licenses and permits from the Philippine National Police.
"As far as we are concerned, we are just doing our job," Felonia said, referring to allegations of the arrested mayor that it was purely politically-motivated.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on August 04, 2012.

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