Illegal gunmaker falls in buy-bust

POLICE arrested a suspected illegal gun-maker during a buy-bust in Barangay Taytay, Danao City, Cebu.

Seized from Generoso Gian were ten .357 revolvers and nine .45 pistols worth P125,000.

A police operative pretended to buy the firearms for a security agency.

The operation was conducted at 10 p.m. last Saturday. Gian, 41, did not resist arrest.

Supt. Rodolfo Albotra, head of the Cebu Provincial Police Office’s (CPPO) Provincial Intelligence Branch, said they received a tip about Gian’s illegal activity.

They placed him under surveillance for three weeks.

Albotra said the guns were only delivered to the suspect’s house. The gun-making procedure is reportedly conducted in a mountain barangay.

PO2 Lea Juarez told Sun.Star Cebu they were supposed to raid another house after the first operation.

“Pero nakabantay na ang uban. Mura og nag-domino effect (But the others were already alerted. It was a like a domino-effect),” she said.

Gian, when interviewed, washed his hands of the case.

“Wa gyud ko’y kalibutan. Nahibong nalang ko naa’y armas sa amoa (I have no idea. I was surprised why there were guns in our house,” he said.

Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, head of CPPO, told reporters that the suspect’s arrest can help in crime prevention.

“The more firearms that are confiscated, the lesser the crimes that could be committed,” he said.

CPPO posted the highest number of confiscated loose firearms in Central Visayas, with 117 for the first quarter of this year.