Checkpoint Yields Guns in Bato Mayor's Van

NABUA, CAM. SUR (9 February) - THE CHIEF OF POLICE in this Rinconada town has been under fire from reporters, after reportedly excluding the name of the town Mayor of Bato in an apprehension report on the conduct of gun ban checkpoint in San Roque, Nabua, the other day.

Nabua Police Chief Insp. Roderic Campo was unclear in a report to the Cam. Sur Provincial Police Office on the apprehension of three individuals, two of which were identified as Gilbert Osea, a former policeman, and Marlon Nieva the driver of the Starex van reportedly owned by Bato Mayor Janette Bernaldez.

In the Nabua police report, two handguns were reported to have been confiscated from Osea and Nieva; there was no mention, however, of the identity of the lady passenger in the said vehicle when it was apprehended by the police at the COMELEC checkpoint at Barangay San Roque.

Sources here said that it was Mayor Bernaldez who was the woman-passenger in the van, but the Nabua police had allegedly omitted the name of the mayor in the apprehension report.

Newly installed PNP provincial director Sr., Supt. Petronio Retirado, who is reportedly stern in the conduct of the COMELEC Gun-Ban and determined with his anti-illegal gambling drive in this province, said he was not aware of the identity of the third passenger in the van since she was not identified in the report. (SONNY SALES)