Gunrunning syndicate busted

Three suspected members of an international gunrunning syndicate with clients from the criminal underworld in Taiwan have been arrested in a police raid at their safehouse in Cubao, Quezon City.

Philippine National Police—Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) chief Director Reynaldo Berroya identified the suspects as Philip Joey Yang, Efren Villas and Sofronio Tecson.

The three were apprehended inside their safehouse on 14th Avenue, Murphy, Quezon City Monday afternoon, Berroya said. Seized from the suspects were 10 brand new .9mm pistols, several magazines and other gun accessories.

The raid, Berroya said, was carried out based on information provided by the Taiwanese police, which claimed the Philippines has become a major source of illegally acquired firearms in their country.

An ongoing investigation is now underway to determine if policemen assigned at the Firearms and Explosives Division (FED) were involved after it was verified that three of the handguns came from their storage, Berroya said.

All other firearms were acquired from a local gun dealer using spurious documents.

Yesterday, Berroya ordered the arrest of one Romeo Palma right inside the CSG office after the suspect tried to bribe CSG operatives with P300,000 for the "unconditional" release of the three suspected gunrunners. – Jaime Laude