PNP tries to recover over P11M worth of stolen guns

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police is now trying to recover the 59 stolen firearms of a private firm from its storage in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Operatives of the PNP-Firearms and Explosive Division and the National Capital Region- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group are now trying to locate the buyers of the firearms pilfered from the vault of JOAVI Philippines Corp.

Initial reports revealed that the company's vault keeper Harold Sumalde, 23, had been pilfering guns, which have been valued at more than P11 million, from the vault inside the PNP compound with the help of  Raymond Lopez, 34.

Sumalde owned up to the crime and told investigators that Lopez  sold the pilfered guns to interested buyers.

The guns were discovered missing after representatives of JOAVI Philippine Corp. conducted a random inventory of their stock of firearms in their storage last May 14.

After a follow up operation, Lopez was collared and eventually arrested by authorities later that day.

Both suspects underwent inquest proceedings before Quezon City Prosecutors’ Office for cases of qualified theft and violation of Section 32, Paragraph 1 of Republic Act 10591  or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.

Meanwhile, the stolen firearms are placed and included in the watchlist of the PNP-FED Firearms Information Management System (FIMS).