STA. BARBARA–The unique barangay information network organized by the local government is working.

A potential violence in the town was averted after three men armed with high-powered firearms, packing more than 200 rounds of ammunition were apprehended by the local police in Barangay Minien.

Superintendent Eric Noble, chief of police of Sta. Barbara, said the suspects were arrested en flagrante by joint police patrol operations that responded on a tip from the town’s barangay information network.

The armed suspects were identified as Robin Rosario, 32; Orlando Antonio, 35, and Ruben Gonzales, 39.

They were caught in possession of one M-14 rifle with seven magazines and 106 pieces live caliber 7.62 mm ammunition, one AK-47 rifle with four long magazines and 92 pieces of live ammunition, and one caliber .45 pistol (Caspian) with one magazine and eight live ammunition.

Also seized from them were one bandoleer for M-14 rifle, a mobile phone and two firearms license cards, both in the name of Mamerto Benson Aguilar with addresses in Pozorrubio and Asingan.

Noble commended Inspector Ricardo Ubando, SPO1 Alfredo Escorpiso, SPO1 Hilarion Gabrillo and PO1 Bernard Bayani for carrying out the operation without bloodshed.

Meanwhile, newly installed Ilocos Region Police Director, Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan and Senior Superintendent Percival Barba, Pangasinan Police Director, personally extended their congratulations to Noble and his men for the arrests.

Mayor Reynaldo Velasco, who was in Manila when the suspects were arrested, also sent his commendation to his town police through Municipal Administrator Albertini de Guzman.

In a press briefing at the Sta. Barbara Police Station, Gatan stopped short of calling the suspects ‘guns-for-hire’ but he reiterated his earlier promise when he assumed office as police regional director last week that he will give special attention to the campaign against hired guns and organized crime groups.

“We will investigate and look into the background of these arrested suspects to find out if there are other persons behind these people who obviously plan to operate in the municipality of Sta. Barbara,” Gatan said.

Gatan said the PNP is capable of neutralizing all the armed groups before the 2010 election.

He also cited community participation in reporting crimes and the presence of suspicious-looking persons as big factor for the success of their operations. -LM

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