INITIAL negotiations for the surrender of the bodyguards of re-electionist Pilar, Abra vice mayor Jaja Josefina Disono who ignored a police checkpoint and opened fire on pursuing policemen last Tuesday have fallen apart.
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said policemen continued to cordon off yesterday morning the residence of Disono in Pilar town, where her bodyguards sought refuge.
Last Tuesday, policemen flagged down a van approaching a checkpoint manned by Pilar PNP and Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 personnel in Barangay Poblacion.
Instead of stopping, however, the van, carrying bodyguards of Disono, sped off, in the process injuring two cops. The bodyguards also opened fire at pursuing policemen, hitting a police vehicle.
The van later entered Disono’s residential compound, which was promptly cordoned by policemen.
Fajardo confirmed sketchy reports last Tuesday that one of Disono’s bodyguards died in the exchange of fire. She said the fatality was a former member of the Philippine Marines.
Fajardo said policemen negotiated with the camp of Disono for the surrender of involved bodyguards, but negotiations broke down yesterday morning.
“As of this morning, the negotiations failed because they refused to surrender the occupants of the vehicle, including the firearms that were used by the occupants,” Fajardo told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Crame.
Fajardo said the Disono camp told the policemen “they will just face whatever case the PNP will file against those involved in the incident.”
At around 2 p.m. yesterday, Fajardo said she got word that negotiations have resumed.
“The negotiations bogged down this morning. But just a few minutes ago, we received some developing report that the negotiations resumed and hopefully there will be a positive ending,” she said.
“It’s (Disono compound) still cordoned. They (policemen) are outside. No one is allowed to go out while the investigation is ongoing in the compound,” Fajardo said.
Fajardo said the PNP remains firm on its stand that those involved should be surrendered to face further investigation for disregarding the checkpoint, bumping and injuring two policemen, and opening fire at pursuing lawmen.
Fajardo said probers have initially recovered inside the van a 9 mm pistol that is registered to Disono.
She said the firearm is covered by a License to Own and Possess Firearm but added it should not be brought out of the vice mayor’s residence due to the election gun ban.
Fajardo said the PNP Cordillera Administrative Region police office and the regional Commission on Elections have not received any request from Disono for gun ban exemption or to employ bodyguards during the election period.
The PNP is looking at possible criminal and administrative charges against Disono, including violation of the election gun ban.
