A Himamaylan barangay captain whose residence was raided by the police on Tuesday for alleged illegal possession of firearms, yesterday hit back at the raiding team and accused them of taking jewelry and personal belongings from his house.

The raid on the house of Brgy. Capt. Gerardo Titular in Carabalan, Himamaylan City, yielded an Armscor pistol with 48 rounds of ammunition, 61 empty shells, three gun holsters and seven rounds of an M-60 machine gun used as an ashtray, which were covered by licenses.

Senior Inspector Argel Ancheta, chief of the Negros Occidental police intelligence branch, yesterday vehemently denied the claims of Titular, saying the raid was witnessed by a barangay kagawad and a tanod.

Titular who is reportedly identified with a mayoralty candidate in Himamaylan City, yesterday demanded from the police raiding team his jacket, Rayban sunglasses, a jungle bolo, a Swiss knife, and jewelry of his wife, among others.

Supt. Milko Lirazan, Himamaylan police, yesterday said Titular reported that some of the personal belongings were missing from his house.

The raid was covered by a search warrant issued by Judge Roberto Chiongson.

Lirazan said it is up to the police raiding team whether to pursue or not the charges against Titular.

The pistol and its ammunition, machine gun bullets and other gun accessories taken from the house of Titular are now in the possession of the Himamaylan police.

Titular, who was brought to the Himamaylan police by his captors, was released later after the examination of his gun licenses, which will reportedly expire in 2008.

The Himamaylan police have said that Titular was the subject of complaints from some barangay residents who claimed they were threatened with a gun by the village chairman.*GPB

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