Woman, two others caught for illegal guns

CEBU, Philippines - Police scored another in its campaign against loose firearms and in the implementation of the gun ban following the arrest of three people, including a woman, who sold unregistered firearms to the police in a raid in Barangay Kahumayan, Danao City last Friday.

Arrested was Merlita Perez, 40, who was caught selling the firearms to a police decoy. Santos Lomin, 31, and Norman Alerta, 24, were allegedly caught manufacturing guns at the house of Perez.

The suspects yielded four finished unlicensed guns, two of which were caliber .45 pistols and the other two were caliber .38 revolvers.

Police also recovered at least 50 barrels for both calibers, another 11 barrels for a .22 caliber; four power custom barrels, ammunitions, magazines, cylinders, and other parts of a gun and equipment.

Chief Insp. George Ylanan, chief of the Regional Special Operations Group that conducted the operation, said some of the manufacturers eluded arrest.

The seized guns, he said, amounted to P100,000.

Just last Thursday, operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Cebu Provincial Police Office seized P1 million worth of gun parts and gun-making machines in another buy-bust operation in Danao City.

Danao City is famous for its gun-manufacturing industry.  Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, Jr., director of the Police Regional Office 7, believes that there are still more manufacturers of illegal guns in Danao City.  Garbo said they are now studying to have gun-manufacturing in Danao City legalized just like before, with illegal gun making having been a constant problem plaguing the police.  Danao Multi-purpose Cooperative (World MPC) was once a known cooperative in Danao that manufactured calibers .45 pistols and .38 revolvers.

The cooperative, which was licensed by the Philippine National Police, failed to renew its licenses and was eventually raided in mid-2011.

The suspects admitted to the crime, saying they had been in the industry for long. Contrary to reports that they earn big, the suspects claim that they only earn a little especially because of the current election gun ban. (FREEMAN)