PNP to pin down owners of guns seized in Bilibid

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police  (PNP) is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to pin down the owners of the guns confiscated from convicted drug lord Peter Co in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

The original owners – some of them politicians – of the firearms found in the detention cell of Co will be held liable, a PNP official said yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, head of the PNP’s Firearms and Licensing Division, said the politicians would face charges should they fail to explain how their guns ended up in Co’s possession.

The PNP gave the gun owners at least 10 days to give their side before imposing sanctions on them.

Anduyan said revocation of license awaits the owners of the guns recovered from the drug convict.

He said the Inspection and Enforcement Section was tasked to get the politicians’ side.

Raiding teams from the PNP and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confiscated six guns from Co’s detention cell when they raided the NBP’s maximum security compound last week.

The NBI said documents showed that the seized firearms were traced to politicians.

A caliber .22 is registered under the name of Rep. Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava of the lone district of Guimaras.

Another firearm is owned by Carlitos Tiquia, who ran and lost for congressman of Valenzuela in the last elections.

A 9mm Taurus pistol is registered under the name of Vicente Alindada Jr., a barangay councilor in Sangandaan, Caloocan.

Another gun is allegedly owned by Avelino Nicanor, a government employee.