A SOLDIER and his two cohorts were arrested on Saturday for their alleged involvement in illegal gunrunning activities in the province of Leyte, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said Sunday.
Arrested during an entrapment operation in Palo, Leyte were Private First Class Dennis Cardenas who belongs to the Philippine Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion, Lenelito Liporada and Roel Fumar.
A total of 13 assorted loose firearms were confiscated from them composed of nine .45 calibre pistols, three .38 calibre pistols and a .357 calibre revolver.
“Cardenas allegedly acted as a middleman to prospective gun buyers, who were usually members of private armed groups in Leyte,” said CIDG Director Benjamin Magalong.
The arrest stemmed from reports of several concerned citizen in CIDG regional office in Eastern Visayas on the alleged illegal gunrunning activities of a soldier in Barangay Hibucawan, Jaro, and another gunrunner in Barangay Cogon, Palo, both in Leyte.
Two weeks of surveillance were conducted against the alleged suspects until they cornered them in Barangay Hibucawan and Barangay Cogon. Liporada was apprehended alone while Cardenas was with Fumar.
The three suspects will be charged for violating Republic 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Law. (Sunnex)