House of DOE exec's in-law yields guns, ammo

MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATEas of 01/21/2010 3:09 PM) - Police on Thursday morning seized nearly 50 firearms and several ammunition from the house of Energy Undersecretary Zamsamin Ampatuan's brother-in-law in Davao City.

Operatives from the Davao City police and the Police Regional Office 11 raided the house of Mozulini Lidasan on Eagle Street, GSIS Heights in Matina district around 6 a.m.

Firearms seized from Lidasan's house include 24 pieces of .38 revolvers, 17 shotguns, 2 M-16 rifles, several ammunition and military camouflage uniforms.

An ABS-CBN Davao regional news bureau report said Lidasan, whose wife is a sister of Undersecretary Ampatuan, has a security agency.

Police, however, found out that the security agency's license to operate expired last August. Investigators were checking if the firearms have proper documentations.

Lidasan and an Army sergeant named Alberto Antisoda, who was "securing" the area, were arrested.

The report added that police were also preparing to enter another compound in Davao City where more firearms are believed stashed. -- Reports from Michelle Robin and Francis Magbanua, ABS-CBN Davao

as of 01/21/2010 3:09 PM