Abandoned vehicle yields high-powered firearms

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Police District operatives on Tuesday night recovered inside an abandoned vehicle parked alongside a street in Manila two high-powered weapons and a hand grenade.

In a report made by the Anti-Carnapping and Anti-Hijacking Section of the MPD, Senior Inspector Randy Mata Maluyo said recovered by the police inside the vehicle were an  M-16 rifle, serial number 305135,  with one magazine loaded with eight bullets;  a 12-gauge shotgun, blurred serial number, with six bullets; and an M-26 hand grenade.

The vehicle, a Mitsubishi  Pajero (EMS-333), was discovered abandoned at the corner of Leon Guinto, in between the corners of Padre Faura St. and Apacible St. in Ermita Manila at 9:20 p.m. the other night. Police said while a mobile crew was conducting a spotting operation of the said area, they noticed the vehicle parked unattended and the door at the passenger seat open. Suspecting something was wrong, the police peeped inside the vehicle and discovered the guns and grenade.

Through their records, police said the owner of the vehicle is a certain Cesar Detera, of No. 39 A. Carmilabe, Project 6, Quezon City.

The MPD-Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) also conducted a check on the owner of the guns through its serial number.

The MPS is now investigating if the abandoned Mitsubishi Pajero containing high-powered firearms and explosives recovered several blocks away from the National Bureau of Investigation where Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is detained, was connected to the tension in Maguindanao. Authorities have earlier seized a cache of firearms and ammunitions in Maguindanao. Police said they have not found a link yet, but are still investigating if indeed there was a connection to the incident.

Investigation disclosed that PO3 Arthur Martinez and PO2 Bernard Alcantara were on board the MPD marked patrol car 333 when they noticed the vehicle parked at the said place with the passenger door open. Police also noticed that the vehicle was muddy as it was believed coming from outside Metro Manila.

Intelligence information

The discovery of the firearms happened as the NBI revealed that some of the participants in the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao have already fled to Metro Manila even before the declaration of martial law in the province, based on the intelligence information. An official of the NBI who refused to be named told reporters they have monitored that some of them are in Metro Manila but could not effect an arrest as there is no warrant of arrest yet issued against them.

For his part, Lawyer Ricardo Diaz, chief of the NBI Counter Terrorism Unit, and spokesperson of the NBI on the Maguindanao massacre, said they have not yet established a link on this incident with the Maguindanao incident.

Diaz said they have increased their alert status and have provided additional security in and around the perimeter walls of the NBI headquarters in Taft Ave., Manila.

The NBI also banned parking along Taft Ave., beside the perimeter walls of the NBI headquarters, as well as nearby areas.

However, yesterday, the NBI cordoned off the area due to these incidents and information about the threats to security of the NBI premises, after Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatian Jr. has been brought to the NBI headquarters in Manila to face multiple murder charges on the Maguindanao massacre.

Additionally, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Roberto Rosales ordered yesterday his five district commanders to intensify their intelligence gathering following the discovery of high-powered firearms and grenade inside an abandoned vehicle Monday night in Ermita, Manila.

Rosales did not discount the possibility that the recovered firearms and explosives are intended to sow fear and mayhem in Metro Manila either from warring politicians or from supporters of the beleaguered Ampatuan clan.

Closer inspection revealed the car’s passenger right door was slightly ajar.

According to MPD’s anti-carjacking section head Senior Inspector Randy Maluyo, verification from police hand-held Blackberry phone showed the vehicle was registered to a certain Cesar Detera of Project 6, Quezon City.

Maluyo learned from Detera’s caretaker, Anthony Jaravilla, that his employer had swapped his vehicle with his Malaysian business partner, a certain Hii Yii Ann.