TWO police officers and two others were arrested for selling firearms with expired licenses.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 arrested PO1 Oliver Baguia Navarro Jr., 40, of C. Padilla St., Cebu City and assigned to the Mobile Patrol Group of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), along with Agustin Nautan, 27, of Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, and Dennis Juntilla Escaran, 40, of P. del Rosario Extension, Cebu City. They were arrested past 10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, on F. Ramos St., Cebu City in an entrapment.
After their arrest, PO2 Redzon Baguion of the Abellana Police Station 2 surrendered.
The operation yielded three firearms, one of which belonged to Baguion.
CCPO Director Royina Garma said Baguion earlier pawned his .45 pistol to Navarro. When Navarro asked for his money back, Baguion could not come up with the funds to pay for it. He told Navarro to sell it instead, prompting Navarro to ask among friends if there was anyone interested to buy the firearm for P25,000.
Nautan and Escaran had arranged to meet with a buyer in a hotel on F. Ramos St.
They were unaware that they were selling it to a police operative of the CIDG 7.
Garma said both police officers could face dismissal from the service, saying they violated the gun ban imposed by the Commission on Elections, a non-bailable offense. She ordered them stripped of their firearms and automated teller machine cards.
“We are now preparing the administrative case that we will file against the two police officers, and we are also waiting for the results of the complete investigation of the CIDG to support the case for grave misconduct,” she said.
Both police officers also have pending administrative cases before the Investigation and Detective Management Branch.
Baguion was caught playing on his cellphone while on duty, while Navarro was caught leaving his post.
Abellana Police Station Chief Eduardo Sanchez said Baguion explained that he needed money because his wife suffered a miscarriage, which was why he asked Navarro to sell the firearm.
The police officers refused to comment. (From AYB of SuperBalita Cebu, MEA)