The government-issue firearms were discovered in a pawnshop in the same town, which had been raided on suspicion that it kept an arms cache.
Acting South Cotabato police director Senior Superintendent Efren Saliganan said the five police officers, whose names were withheld pending the filing of charges, have been transferred to the headquarters of the police regional office (PRO) in nearby General Santos City.
Saliganan said the order for the immediate transfer of the five Sto. Niño police station personnel was issued by Chief Superintendent German Doria, the new director of the Central Mindanao police command.
He said Doria ordered the transfer of the five policemen just days after the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided a pawnshop in Sto. Niño town, recovering six guns.
The raid on Tupi Pawnshop was conducted on the basis of a warrant issued by Judge Oscar Noel of the General Santos City regional trial court.
NBI Sarangani district office chief Boye Mama, Sto. Niño policemen and barangay officials were surprised during the pawnshop raid when they discovered that the guns they recovered were all weapons issued by the government to the five police officers.
The firearms confiscated from the Tupi pawnshop were two Armscor caliber .38 revolvers and three Beretta 9-mm. semi-automatic handguns.
Apparently, the guns were pawned by the five police officers during the enrollment period, possibly so they could raise additional money for their children’s school fees.
Saliganan said that even if the five police officers did pawn their firearms to pay for the tuition of their children, they remain "liable" for violating the rules and regulations of the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
"It is not a valid reason if (needing tuition money) was their reason. They must face the consequences of what they have done. Government properties are not to be pawned," Saliganan told The STAR. — Ramil Bajo