INQUEST. Allan Lagos Carcuevas, who was arrested in Bais City, Negros Oriental undergoes inquest proceedings Wednesday (Aug. 16, 2023) at the Bais City prosecutor's office for alleged illegal possession of a firearm, ammunition and hand grenade. The police said the suspect is allegedly linked to some shooting incidents in the province and may have connections to a private armed group. (Photo courtesy of the Bais City Police Station)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Police operatives have arrested an alleged hit man in Bais City, Negros Oriental believed to have links with a private armed group and a number of shooting incidents in the province.
The arrested suspect, identified as Allan Lagos Carcuevas, underwent inquest proceeding at the Bais City prosecutor’s office Wednesday morning for illegal possession of a firearm, ammunition and explosive, said Lt. Col. Roland Lavisto, chief of the Bais City Police Station.
Carcuevas was arrested Tuesday in Barangay Panala-an, Bais City, during the service of a search warrant against him, a report from the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) said.
He had previous records for violations of Republic Act 10591 or the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act” and Republic Act 9516, also known as the “Unlawful Manufacture, Sales, Acquisition, Disposition, Importation or Possession of an Explosive or Incendiary Device.”
Seized from the suspect were a hand grenade .45-caliber pistol with magazine and seven rounds of live ammunition. The NOPPO Provincial Intelligence Unit led the operation based on a directive from the Police Regional Office 7 based in Cebu City.
According to Lavisto, Carcuevas was allegedly involved in the attempted assassination of a politician in the province in the past and a number of shooting incidents in Mabinay, Bais City, and other parts of central and northern Negros Oriental.
He was also reportedly a contact person for other local “hit men” during the past elections.
The Bais City police chief said no other details were made available about the suspect’s background.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, deputy chief of the Police Community Affairs and Development Unit of NOPPO, said investigators are now looking into the suspect’s possible link to an alleged terrorist group behind the murder of Gov. Roel Degamo.
Polinar declined to name the politician in the assassination attempt that implicated Carcuevas.
Carcuevas is the second “hit man” to be arrested in Negros Oriental since Col. Ronan Claravall was designated acting police provincial director.
The first was Alex Mayagma, who died in a police operation on July 31 in
Bayawan City.
Mayagma was tagged as the top most wanted person in Central Visayas and was named as a respondent in the complaints filed before the Department of Justice this year in relation to the murder of Board Member Miguel Dungog in 2019. (PNA)
