Guns purchase alarms Santiago City voters

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela – Election fever has begun to heat up this Northern Luzon city amid fears that a firearms cache which was delivered to the local government, four months before the May elections, will be used against supporters of the mayor’s political opponents. The allegations came on the heels of a shipment of high-powered firearms to the city government a day before the Comelec-enforced election gun ban took effect on January 10. A government vehicle loaded with 15 brand new China-made Norinco CQ-M4 assault rifles worth P1.3 million was held by the police in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, around midnight of January 9 just before the gun ban took effect. Nueva Ecija police director Senior Superintendent Ricardo Marquez said that, acting on an anonymous tip, his men flagged down a red Toyota Revo bearing plate number SBS 504 and discovered that it was indeed carrying the said firearms. The vehicle is owned by the Santiago City government. The vehicle was allowed to pass through the police verified that the accompanying documents of the said firearms shipment were in order and covered with a Permit to Transport. Mayor says firearms shipment legal Santiago City Mayor Amelita Navarro told GMANews.TV that the firearms shipment was legal, adding that she already has leads on the identities of those sowing false information who are also trying to destabilize her leadership. Navarro said that the guns were ordered late last year but preparing the documents took a while. “I am sorry that my detractors once again failed to destroy me. What can I do, election time is near again," she said. Navarro said that the firearms are for upgrading the city’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team’s equipment in the face of growing threats by armed criminal syndicates. “We would not want to be caught unprepared by the outlaws," she continued. The city mayor also revealed that a homemade bomb was discovered at the roof of her family’s residence last December 30, but police city director Superintendent Reynaldo Sinaon said the so-called bomb was a “dummy" since it contained wires and a timer but lacked any main explosive. “Maybe it was only meant to frighten her," said Sinaon, adding that “if a C-4 was used and the bomb was detonated, it could have completely wrecked her home." Aside from the firearms, the city government reported that it has also placed an order of some P300,000 worth of ammunition for the AK-47 Russian-made assault rifles previously issued to its police force. Mayor's rival questions shipment But Navarro’s political rival, former city vice-mayor Armando Tan, alleged that the recent firearms purchase was questionable. "Why did the (firearms) purchase fail to go through the usual funding process, in this case, it should have been approved first by the City Council?" Tan asked. Citing Navarro’s remark that the guns were a surprise donation to the city police force, Tan argued that people’s money should be spent more prudently. “Why would she donate it? It’s not her money. A request should have been made by the police first before she can act on it, then the city council approves it," Tan continued, adding that if the money which was used to buy the guns came from intelligence funds, which is not auditable, then it cannot be part of the city’s capital outlay anymore. In a text message sent to GMANews.TV, Councilor Romy Dela Cruz confirmed that there is a need for a council resolution authorizing the mayor to make the donation. “I am not aware of the source of the fund. It was not even mentioned when we discussed the budget for the intelligence fund," Dela Cruz said. Meanwhile, Santiago City Councilor Paul Silverio pronounced that the city council did not approve of any budget for the purchase of the said firearms. “On top of some 30 pieces of AK-47 assault rifles delivered about two or three years ago, the city again purchased a big volume of high-powered automatic rifles. I wonder why we need this kind of war materiel when the city is not even listed as among the election hot spots," Silverio said. – JV, GMANews.TV