Police seized on Thursday a hand grenade and a variety of ammunition during a raid at a residence in barangay Tara, Mabinay town in Negros Oriental.
The subject of the search warrant and owner of the seized items, Benjamin Rodriguez Cadayona, however, managed to escape after sensing the arrival of the police, a report from the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office said.
Members of the Mabinay Police Station and the 704th Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-7 served the search warrant, issued by Judge Candelario Gonzalez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 45 in Bais City, to the suspect’s cousin, Jonathan Cadayona, who was present during the raid.
Seized were a hand grenade, two rounds of live ammunition for 5.56 mm; a misfired caliber .357 ammunition; a misfired round of caliber .45; four empty shells of caliber .38; 14 empty shells of caliber .45; two empty shells of caliber .357; two rounds of live ammunition for caliber .22; 10 empty shells of 12-gauge shotgun; a magazine holster of caliber .45; and a small backpack.
Authorities did an inventory of the recovered evidence in the presence of barangay officials Clint Balasabas, Marife Olpos, and Ricardo Angca.
Investigators are still looking into the background of the suspect as to why he had in his possession the ammunition. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
