AFP: Guns in alleged US firearms smuggling did not come from us

From GMA News (Apr 1): AFP: Guns in alleged US firearms smuggling did not come from us

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it is looking into an allegation that one of its officers may have been involved in a supposed plan to smuggle firearms into the United States, but stressed the guns would not have come from its arsenal.

“Kahit na wala pa kaming hawak na pangalan (of the military officer), kahit na wala pa kaming hawak na dokumento o anumang request, tinitignan na rin namin itong allegation na ito,” Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP spokesman, said in an interview on GMA News' “24 Oras” aired Monday evening.

Zagala however said that it seemed impossible that the smuggled firearms would come from the AFP's inventory.

“Meron at merong mga instances na may baril na mawawala, but someone will be accountable for it. Pero hindi yung madamihan... Kung may mawala, isa or dalawa, investigation kaagad yan,” Zagala said.

California state senator Leland Yee was arrested by US authorities on Wednesday (Thursday in the Philippines) on charges of corruption and alleged conspiracy to smuggle and trade in firearms from the Philippines.

According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit, Yee was in touch with a certain Wilson Lim, who used to be based in Mindanao but now living in Bailey City, California. Lim allegedly had a contact in the Philippine military for the high-powered firearms that would be smuggled to the US.

According to the affidavit, Yee also told an FBI undercover agent that Lim's source for the weapons was a Philippine citizen who previously sold guns to individuals, and had managed to bring guns from Cagayan de Oro to the US.

It is not clear whether the “Philippine citizen” and the “Philippine military official with the rank of captain” are the same person.

Zagala said the AFP is ready to work with the FBI on the case, though they have yet to receive a formal request on the matter.

The FBI affidavit also said Yee told an undercover agent that there were some factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who were not in favor of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF, though Yee did not directly say that the smuggled firearms would come from members of the MILF.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, has already denied the allegation.

“Wala kaming alam na ganyan, na involve sa'min. Wala kaming alam na may MILF na involve sa ganyang transaction, yung gun-running, o kaya pagbili ng armas. At saka yung sinasabing faction ng MILF, walang faction ang MILF,” he said.

Government peace panel chairperson Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, on the other hand, refused to give a statement on the issue as she has yet to read the FBI report.

“It will be unfair to point a finger at this point to the MILF or even a faction of the MILF,” Ferrer said.

Last Thursday, the government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), a product of 17 years of negotiations, which both parties hope will pave way for the creation of a new territory in Mindanao to be called the Bangsamoro political entity.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/354879/news/nation/afp-guns-in-alleged-us-firearms-smuggling-did-not-come-from-us