Ex-Philippine Envoy Arrested in Italy; Arms Cache Seized

The former Philippine ambassador to the Vatican was arrested Friday after police said they seized automatic weapons, cattle prods and tear gas canisters at his Rome villa.

Bienvenido Tantoco, 65, a close associate of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was charged with illegal possession of arms, Police Chief Marcello Monarca said. Tantoco was relieved of his diplomatic post in March after Marcos was ousted by a civilian and military uprising.

Five members of his household staff, all Filipino men, also were arrested on the same charges at the villa on the ancient Appian Way.

All six were taken to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison, police said. They were being questioned by Public Prosecutor Domenico Sica, who normally handles terrorism cases.

Police spread out the arms confiscated from the villa at an office of Rome’s anti-terrorist police squad. The cache included 12 handguns, two Uzi submachine guns and about 2,500 cartridges. Also displayed were two bulletproof vests, cattle prods, spike balls chained to metal sticks, five tear gas canisters, several radio transmitters, a metal detector and several diplomatic car plates.

“These were certainly not for defensive purposes or protection,” Police Capt. Ugo Mastrolitto said. Police said they did not know why Tantoco had the weapons.

“The life Tantoco led was not that of a person in retirement,” Monarca told a news conference.