Cache of firearms, ammo seized in raid
BACOLOD CITY — Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday found and seized a cache of firearms and ammunition, including explosives when they raided the house of a policeman allegedly linked to two murder incidents in Bacolod City.
Armed with a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of the Regional Trial Court Branch 53 in Manila, the NBI operatives, assisted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-18 (Negros) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion-18, swooped down at the house of Senior Police Officer 1 Joshua Barile at Regent Pearl Subdivision in Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City.
The raid yielded 31 assorted guns—including M16 and AK47 assault rifles—four hand grenades, magazines of assorted firearms, two vintage bombs, and more than 1,000 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Barile, who is the head of the Firearms and Explosive section of the Regional Civil Security Unit-18, yesterday said the firearms taken during the raid have been placed under his custody for safekeeping, as approved by his superior, as the RCSU vault could not accommodate more firearms, and its office is no longer safe.
Some of the guns and ammunition also served as evidences in court, which also placed under his custody, he added.
Barile also claimed that the three corroded fragmentation grenades and a plastic sachet containing crystalline substance were believed to be “planted” by two individuals, who he identified as his former “assets,” when he was still with the Regional Intelligence Unit-6. He said the two were nowhere to be found later, until during the raid of his house.
Barile is facing murder charges before the Negros Occidental Prosecutor's Office for the deaths of the father and younger brother of Ricky Serenio, a selfproclaimed paymaster of the Berya Drug Group. He however denied involvement to the Serenio killings.
Serenio, in his sworn affidavits for the case, also linked Barile and more than 40 other policemen to the illegal drug trade in Negros Occidental.