Abra town vice mayor, husband turn over firearms after 2-day standoff | ABS-CBN

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Abra town vice mayor, husband turn over firearms after 2-day standoff

Abra town vice mayor, husband turn over firearms after 2-day standoff

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

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The two-day standoff at the compound of Pilar town, Abra vice-mayor Jaja Josefina Disono between police and armed men inside ended Wednesday afternoon.

Following negotiations through intermediaries, Disono’s camp turned over 14 small and long firearms to police for ballistics tests in connection with the chase and shootout between police and men in van allegedly belonging to Disono’s convoy on Tuesday morning.

Atty. Raymond Fortun, lawyer for Disono and her husband, told media that half of the guns belonged to the vice mayor and the other to her husband.

Fortun said all guns are licensed and have the necessary permits and registration.

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Most, he added, had been passed down from Disono’s father, the late Abra vice-governor Rolando Somera, who was killed in 2017.

“Mayroon pong request ang PNP for vice-mayor Disono and her husband to surrender all firearms na ang intensyon naman ay para magkaroon ng balistics examination ng mga baril at ma-test nga kung totoo talaga na mayroon doon sa mga baril na iyon na ginamit para tangkain na barilin ’yong mga kapulisan natin,” Fortun said.

“Vice-Mayor Disono, after much deliberation, was able to realize na mas ikabubuti na rin para i-clear niya ’yong sarili niya na i-surrender ang mga firearms na ito.”

Twelve men from the compound were also turned over to police Wednesday night and brought to the provincial headquarters.

One of Disono’s men, an escort identified as Sandee Boy Bermudo, was killed in the encounter after his van ran past a police checkpoint.

Police crime lab operatives inspecting the van recovered an assault rifle whose ownership was traced to Disono.

Abra provincial police director Col. Maly Cula said the checkpoint located meters from the municipal hall and police station stemmed from an intelligence report they received Tuesday that armed individuals were in the area.

Part of the police probe into the incident was a dash-cam video taken from the van, which showed the vehicle sideswiping a policeman pointing a gun at it, leading to the chase up to the Disono compound.

Cula said 2 vehicles had been rammed and one was hit by a bullet.

Fortun said Disono was surprised by the turn of events that led to the standoff.

“She’s disturbed, she was shaken, nadinig niya ang putok, nandoon sa likod ng kanyang convoy and it was only later na na-realize niya na mayroon na palang engkwentro,” he said.

Disono said in interviews with local media that their camp was being harassed, a charge the police deny.

“Sumisilip-silip lang ang pulis to get some information on who are these people. Wala pong harassment. If only there were harassment e di pinasok na namin. In the context of hot pursuit, pwede naman namin i-justify, but then, true to our ideal na walang harassment,” Cula said.

The Philippine National Police said Wednesday Disono could be charged for violating the Comelec-mandated gun ban, among others.

Disono, a former town mayor, is running for reelection as vice mayor along with her brother, Mayor Mark Roland Somera.

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

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