Ivler faces more raps for unlicensed guns

MANILA, Philippines - Apart from homicide, Jason Aguilar Ivler will also have to deal with charges of illegal possession of firearms that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file against him.

The new cases came about after it was established that the Rock River Arms AR-15 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifle and Kimber caliber .45 pistol seized from Ivler were not registered.

The Firearms and Explosives Division (FED) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the AR-15 with serial number Cm207379 and the caliber .45 pistol with serial number Mj59102 do not appear in its database of registered firearms and are thus classified as loose firearms.

All legally imported guns sold in the Philippines have their serial numbers recorded at the FED as soon as they arrive in the country.

An intelligence officer said it is possible that Ivler, a former member of the US Army, could have brought the guns and ammunition with him from the United States.

Ivler used SS109 (M855) ammunition for his AR-15. The SS109 (5.56 x 45 mm) is now the standard small-caliber rifle cartridge used by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, such as the US military.

The NBI conducted ballistics tests on Ivler’s guns yesterday and tried to verify if the Kimber pistol seized during the shootout was the same gun used in the killing of Renato Ebarle, Jr., son of assistant secretary Renato Ebarle Sr., during a traffic altercation along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City on Nov. 18, 2009.

Two silencers were also seized during the arrest. The Kimber pistol taken from Ivler can be fitted with a silencer.

The young Ebarle was shot with a caliber .45 pistol fitted with a silencer.

The NBI is also looking at the possibility of filing criminal raps against Ivler’s mother, Marlene Aguilar-Pollard, including possible drug charges.

Marlene is the sister of folk singer Freddie Aguilar and married to British Stephen Pollard. Ivler is a son from a previous marriage.

She was initially charged with obstruction of justice and was detained at the NBI jail in Manila.

Head agent Roland Argabioso, chief of the NBI Field Operations Division (FOD), confirmed that the agents seized a plastic packet containing what seemed to be marijuana inside Marlene’s home, but it initially tested negative. The NBI will conduct another test for comparison.

Ivler was subjected to drug and paraffin tests last Monday night but the bureau did not reveal the results.

NBI deputy director for investigation Rickson Chiong said both tests were standard operating procedure.

A mother’s love

An NBI source said Marlene was charged with obstruction of justice “for misleading the agents about Ivler’s whereabouts.”

Marlene gave false information that her son flew to Hawaii and even cited an email that she claimed she received from her son.

“My son is fighting for his life and if he dies I will accept it with all humility. But I want everyone to know that no matter what he did I still love him with all my heart and soul. I will take a thousand bullets for him. I will gladly exchange places with my son. I love him with all my heart, till death do us part,” she said between sobs.

Marlene, through lawyer Mitzell Magdaong, posted bail of P12,000 around 7 p.m. yesterday.

Informant will get reward

Meanwhile, Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales said their share of the P1-million reward money put up for information leading to the capture of Ivler is ready for pick-up.

Rosales said the informant should come to his office at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City with a certificate from the NBI that he played a key role in the arrest of Ivler.

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) had offered P500,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ivler. President Arroyo raised the reward to P1 million.

Lawyer Ruel Lasala, NBI deputy director for Intelligence Service, said the informant never asked for money but he will get the reward anyway. - Sandy Araneta, Reinir Padua, Michael Punongbayan,