SEVERAL high-powered firearms and assorted live ammunition were seized from three suspects in an entrapment operation conducted by police at the South Ceres Terminal in Bacolod City on Wednesday, April 20.
The operation was conducted by joint teams of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bacolod, CIDG-Negros Occidental, the Special Weapons and Tactics group, and Bacolod City Police Stations 3 and 6.
Among those arrested was Kim Gavasan, 35, a member of Philippine Army’s 32nd Company Civil Military Operation based in Danao City, Cebu, and a resident of Barangay Sto. Rosario, Binalbagan.
Also arrested were Franklin Olimpu Jr., 31, a computer technician, of Barangay Salvacion, Murcia; and Bal de la Peña, 33, a tricycle driver, of Escalante City.
Inspector Renoli Bagayao, head of CIDG-Bacolod, said the suspects were arrested after they sold a .45-caliber pistol for P17,000 and KG9 machine pistol worth P35,000 to a police poseur-buyer around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Operatives seized from the suspects locally manufactured versions of foreign weapons: a Colt AR15 assault rifle with five magazines and two silencers, an Ingram MAC-11 machine pistol with two magazines, a KG9 machine pistol with two magazines, two .357-caliber revolvers, two Black Widow 9mm revolvers, and two .45-caliber pistols with six magazines, four live .45-caliber rounds and four live 9mm rounds.
Bagayao said the recovered firearms were manufactured in Cebu and transported inside two back packs.
Also seized were two back packs, four cellular phones, P3,840 in cash, and the P1,000 marked money bundled with other bills amounting to P47,000.
CIDG-Bacolod is coordinating with the Philippine Army to inform Gavasan’s superiors of his arrest.
Bagayao said the suspects were under surveillance for almost a year before their arrest. Gavasan transported the firearms from Cebu on board a roll-on, roll-off vessel.
According to police recounting, Gavasan fetched De la Peña in Escalante, and they proceeded to Bacolod to meet with Olimpu at the North Ceres Terminal.
The suspects then went to the South Ceres Terminal to carry out the transaction.
He added that the suspects were involved in gunrunning activities not only in Bacolod City, but also in other towns and cities in Negros Island Region.
The suspects are detained at CIDG-Bacolod and are facing charges for violations of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and Commissions on Election gun ban.