Gov’s son’s name missing in PNP report: Paracelis gun ban case assigned to Baguio fiscal

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The “mystery” over the controversial and alleged non-inclusion of the name of a son of the provincial governor in a police report for alleged violation of the gun ban along with other suspects arrested in Paracelis town in the province will be known soon through litigation.

Following elevation of the case to the office of Regional State Prosecutor Caesar Nonnatus Rojas after the Provincial Prosecutor’s office here inhibited itself from handling the case on grounds of “fair play and justice,” the case was assigned by Rojas to Baguio Prosecutor Elmer Sagsago.

With this, Sagsago proposed to Rojas a three-member panel to assist and decide in the determination of the probability of said case.

Sagsago said designation of the panel members shall be next week.

Earlier 2Lt Alvin Dagondon of the 54rth IB of the Philippine Army filed charges of violation of the Election Code and PD 1866 on illegal possession of firearms against Fangkingan Hewan, Domingo Fangkingan, Mario Yawan, Norman Funite, Floricel Miing and police Insp. Dexter Mariano Paredes on May 20 at the provincial fiscal’s office.

Said suspects were arrested at Sitio Ampekla, Barangay Bunot in Paracelis for carrying six high powered firearms loaded in three cars.

The police report was reportedly tampered due to the alleged non-inclusion of other occupants of said three cars, including a son of Mountain Province Gov. and Congressman-elect Maximo Dalog.

Said suspects were also released after arresting officers of the Philippine Army refused to sign affidavits of arrest which resulted to the non-filing of charges against those arrested within 36 hours from their arrest on May 11.

The guns are currently under the custody of the Philippine Army. One of the guns is reportedly registered to Maximo B. Dalog as shown in a certification from the National Police Commission.

The confiscated cars which are under the custody of the Army are now nowhere to be found within the premises of the Bontoc provincial police office.