A 60-year-old farmer was arrested for carrying guns and explosives without legal documents in a joint military and police operation in Barangay Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur at 12:35 p.m. on Monday.
Maj. Eudisan Gultiano, the spokesperson of Police Regional Office XI, identified the suspect as Leoncion Cabanda Matias, 60, married, and a resident of Sitio Dariango, Barangay Sibulan, of the same municipality.
According to the report, the Sta. Cruz Municipal Police Station received a cellphone call from the 39th Infantry Battalion informing them that the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion and 1st company of Davao del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company were able to arrest a male person for possession of firearms and explosives.
The report said that the farmer could not show any documents to prove that the firearms and bomb were legal.
Immediately, the Sta. Cruz MPS personnel left the station and proceeded to the 39th IB detachment in Ayala, Barangay Darong, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur to confirm the veracity of the report and conduct an ocular investigation.
At 6:30 in the morning of same date, soldiers from different units were engaged in a combat operation in relation to the implementation of the Executive Order 70, which provides the authority for the End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Reportedly, the soldiers heard a gunbust, which prompted them to proceed to the origin of the noise. They immediately arrested the suspect when they saw him carrying a gun inside the house,
Recovered from Matias was one unit .38 cal. with serial number 980898, five bullets, one fired cartridge, one piece IED (color green), three pieces stomach tubes, two pieces urine bag, one piece camouflage backpack, one piece camouflage pouch, and one piece camouflage magazine pouch.
The recovered firearm will be turned over to the Provincial Crime Laboratory Office in Digos City for ballistics examination and gunpowder residue test. Meanwhile, the recovered IED will be turned over to the Provincial Explosive Ordnance Division-Davao del Sur for proper disposition.
The suspect is now under the custody of Sta Cruz Municipal Police Station for proper disposition and filing of appropriate charge.
