Antique police questioned on bodyguard’s gun ban case
Police in the province of Antique are being questioned by concerned individuals after it reportedly failed to record and arrest a bodyguard of a municipal mayor caught violating the election gun ban.
Reports have it that a certain Julius Sotic, alias Nono, of Sara, Iloilo, who serves as civilian bodyguard of Libertad Mayor Norberto Raymundo, was caught having in possession a cal. 45 pistol outside the CAP Building in San Jose town where the turn-over of command for the Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) was held recently.
The mayor of Libertad was among those who attended the turn-over ceremony between outgoing Provincial Director Senior Supt. Ren Darroca and incoming Provincial Director Senior Supt. Ruperto Floro, Jr.
Several witnesses saw the supposed apprehension of the bodyguard by the police but mediamen were surprised that there was no record of the said arrest in the police station.
Policemen assigned at APPO also denied that there was a case of gun ban violation during the turn-over of command.
However, sources say Mayor Raymundo and Gov. Salvacion Z. Perez intervened on the case of the apprehended bodyguard reason why the case did not reach the police records.
Sources say Raymundo asked the help of Gov. Perez after learning that his bodyguard was apprehended.
It was learned that Raymudo is a close ally of Rep. Exequiel Javier and is a member of the Lakas-CMD-Kampi party while he is also close to Gov. Perez.
Local media had sought clarification from the APPO about the real score on the matter as they demanded that the police authorities issue an official statement to clear doubts on the issue.
The camp of Mayor Raymundo also has yet to issue a statement on the alleged incident.
