A municipal mayor in Batangas and his two brothers were arrested by police Saturday morning for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Mabini Mayor Nilo Villanueva and his brothers were arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which had search warrants issued by a court in Antipolo.

The three were brought to the CIDG NCR’s head office at Camp Crame where they are being held on charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat, CIDG head, said Villanueva was arrested at their residential compound in Barangay Sto. Tomas around 4:37 a.m.

Operatives from the CIDG’s National Capital Region field unit seized in the mayor's home.

“Arrested suspect was informed about the law he violated and was

appraised of his constitutional right but he opted to remain silent,”

Caramat said.

In the same compound, police nabbed Bayani Villanueva, the

president of the association of barangay captains. He was found to have a 5.56

caliber rifle, 10 bullets and an MK2 hand grenade.

Also arrested was Oliver Villanueva, who was caught with a .22 caliber handgun, a .45 caliber pistol, a hand grenade and several rounds of ammunition. DMS