Kidapawan City – Authorities nabbed on Monday in a remote village in Magpet, Cotabato a grandmother suspected to have links with the New People’s Army (NPA), a police officer said.
But a daughter said her mother was too old to be with the NPA and could no longer carry firearms nor walk through the woods just like a guerilla.
Major Jujie Barotas, chief of Magpet municipal police station, identified the suspect as Gloria Lanutan, 61, of Purok-Dos, Barangay Noa, Magpet.
He added that Lanutan’s live-in partner, identified as Florean Pineda Ledesma, eluded arrest when police raided the house around 8:30 p.m.
Barotas and his men seized from Lanutan’s hideout an improvised explosive device (IED), seven 5.56mm ammunition cartridges, and three pieces of bullet clips of caliber .30 revolver.
The police officer hinted that Lanutan was active in the communist movement in Magpet, which her daughter vehemently denied.
The daughter, who requested that her identity be withheld, reminded the media here that her mother is already a senior citizen. “They just created false stories about my mother. I pity her. She is already old yet she was arrested and placed inside the cell,” she said in the vernacular.
Lanutan’s arrest was based on Search Warrant number 350-2020 issued on August 13 by Judge Arvin Sadiri Balagot of the Regional Trial Court branch 17 based in Kidapawan City.
Barotas said they already filed on Tuesday complaints of violation of Presidential Decree 1866 or Law on Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives as amended by the Republic Act 9516 (“Codifying the Laws on Illegal or Unlawful possession, manufacturing, dealing in, acquisition or disposition of firearms, ammunition, or explosives, and imposing stiffer penalties for certain violations”) against Lanutan.
The suspect was placed inside the Magpet PNP lockup cell for temporary custody.
(Malu Cadelina Manar)
(Source: MindaNews)