Assault rifles seized from alleged gunrunner in N. Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (May 4, 2023): Assault rifles seized from alleged gunrunner in N. Cotabato (By Edwin Fernandez)

ARMS CACHE. Police and soldiers document the high-powered firearms seized from a suspected gunrunner at a checkpoint in Libungan town, North Cotabato province on Thursday (May 4, 2023). Ten M16 rifles and various gun parts were seized from the vehicle of the suspect, who traveled from Manila in Luzon to Mindanao. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)

LIBUNGAN, North Cotabato – Alert military and police personnel foiled an attempt by a suspected gunrunner to sneak in high-powered firearms to Cotabato City following the conduct of a checkpoint in Barangay Grebona here Thursday.

Lt. Col. Rey Rico, the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion commander, said soldiers and police officers manning a checkpoint intercepted a car loaded with about 10 assault rifles and gun parts neatly hidden in the vehicle’s back seat around 9 a.m.

“The driver was acting suspiciously, prompting the soldiers to conduct a further inspection,” Rico said.

Police identified the driver as a certain Usop, who claimed he was just asked to drive the car from Manila.

The suspect said he drove the car from Manila, passing by the Surigao-Bukidnon route in Mindanao, with Cotabato City as his final destination.

Rico said the car yielded 10 M16 rifles, 10 lower receiver groups for R4 rifles, five barrels for 5.56mm rifles, six hand guard covers for M16 rifles and two handheld radio sets.

Brig. Gen. Donald Gumiran, the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade commander, said Usop worked as a courier of a gunrunning syndicate that sells guns to private armed groups in the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.

“We are still interrogating the suspect to determine the scope of the group’s operation and other information about their illegal activities,” Gumiran said in a statement.

Major Gen. Alex Rillera, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander and head of the Army-led Joint Task Force Central, said they have intensified their campaign against loose firearms as the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections draw near.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200773