Of 10K firearms, less than 1K registered in IN -- Marcos

By Jun Ramos Guiang    

                      

LAOAG CITY-- Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos has expressed deep concern about 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, angina-assumed na firearms dittos a probinsia. Wala pang 1,000 yung rehistrado. Yun ang problema natin. So in effect, 90% plus are floating around and perhaps," 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 Supt. Gil Gempes, PIDMB chief Supt. MaximoTaclas 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 BadocVice Mayor Tom Torralba and his two brothers on June 15, 2015. 

She said "Di galling sa akin ang instruction as such. Pangkalahatanang instruction ng PNP at ngbatas" 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 naming 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.