(Eagle News) – These are just some of the unlicensed firearms and ammunition seized by the Quezon City Police District’s SWAT team when they inspected the property at no. 36 Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City where expelled Iglesia Ni Cristo members, among them Felix Nathaniel “Angel” Manalo and his sister Lolita “Lottie” Hemedez, were illegally staying.
Police conducted the inspection on the basis of a search warrant issued on March 1, Wednesday, by First Executive Judge Angelene Mary W. Quimpo-Sale of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106
The search warrant was issued on the basis of accounts from eyewitnesses that the expelled INC members were keeping an armory there.
The unlicensed firearms and ammunition seized in the area included an M-16 Colt AR rifle with serial number 4952780, one M-1 carbine with serial number 4161809, a 12-gauge Action shotgun, different kinds of ammunition and other firearms accessories.
Two police officers were also shot at and wounded by two former military men who were inside the compound. Police have filed charges of illegal possession of firearms, frustrated murder and direct assault, against these former soldiers, Jonathan S. Ledesma and Joseph Sabbaluca, who allegedly used M16 rifles.
The police officers whom they shot were PO2 Henry Hular and PO2 Joemarie Oandasan. Hular was critically wounded, with gunshot wounds in the shoulder and in the stomach, which caused severe wounds in his liver, intestines, and kidney.
Angel Manalo, Lottie Hemedez and 23 others were also charged with illegal possession of firearms as they could not give the police the license for the confiscated high powered firearms and ammunition which they had been keeping inside the Tandang Sora property.
