CIDG agents bag soldier for ‘gunrunning’
PHILIPPINE National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Brigadier General Ronald O. Lee, on Wednesday, announced the arrest of an Army soldier involved in the illegal sale of firearms and explosives in Mindanao during an entrapment operation in Cagayan de Oro City.
In a report to PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the official identified the suspect as an army corporal and a bonafide 33-year-old Army trooper.
Lee said the soldier was arrested during a sting in front of Volkswagen CDO located along Masterson Avenue, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, around 1:15 a.m. last December 4.
Members of the CIDG Cagayan de Oro Field Unit and the CIDG Regional Field Unit (RFU) 10, with the support of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, placed the suspect under arrest shortly after he sold a firearm to an undercover officer and took the marked money from the latter.
Recovered were one modified Troy Carbine M4 automatic rifle with a scope and one magazine, a Rock Island caliber .45 semi-automatic pistol with three loaded magazines, two fragmentation grenades, a fragmentation grenade safety case, 411 rounds of assorted ammunition, his Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) identification card, and three mobile phones.
Lee said his men launched the buy-bust operation in coordination with the Philippine Army Intelligence Unit.
The suspect is now facing non-bailable charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9516 or illegal possession of explosives and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.
“Ang ganitong uri ng ilegal na gawain mula sa mga kasamahan nating tagapagtanggol ng bayan ay ‘di dapat tularan at isawalang bahala. We will make sure that rogue law enforcement officers involved in any criminal offense will be put behind bars,” Lee said.
