3 Pasay City cops nabbed for gun raps

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna – Three Pasay City cops and their two civilian informants were arrested during a dragnet operation at the boundary of Muntinlupa City and San Pedro, Laguna Monday night.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan said the five suspects are alleged members of a gunrunning syndicate operating in Metro Manila and Region 4A, which covers Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon.

Radovan identified the arrested policemen as Police Officer 1 Ricardo Espeleta, 37; his brother, PO1 Leonilo Espeleta, 35; and PO1 Michael Bañola Regis, 27 while the informants are Danilo Caballes and Marcelino Lepiten, both 39 years old.

He said the five men were arrested by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) and the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) 4A after a brief chase at 8:30 p.m near the Susana Heights tollgate in Muntinlupa.

Radovan said they conducted an operation following reports that a gunrunning syndicate was operating in Region 4A.

Police dispatched an informant and contacted the suspects for a gun deal. The suspects reportedly agreed to sell P1.5 million worth of 20 .45 caliber pistols, Beretta 9mm machine pistols, and AK-47 and M-16 Bushmaster Armalite rifles.

Superintendent David Allauigan, RMG team leader, said the initial transaction was supposed to take place at a fastfood restaurant in Bacoor, Cavite at 3 p.m.

However, the suspects changed the venue and instructed the poseur-buyer to go to Malibay, Pasay, and then to Susana Heights.

At 8:30 p.m. Monday, policemen said the suspects apparently sensed they were the subject of an entrapment operation and tried to escape.

Law enforcers seized from the suspects an Uzi Beretta submachine pistol with five long magazines; a .40 caliber Glock pistol with three magazines and 39 bullets; and three 9mm pistols with one magazine each and 29 bullets.

Radovan said charges of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Omnibus Election Code’s gun ban provision will be filed against the three policemen and two informants.

He added that police are verifying reports that the suspects have been supplying guns to a political candidate in the south.

The Philippine National Police said the arrest is part of the government’s intensified campaign against loose firearms, partisan armed groups and all forms of criminality during the runup to the May 14 polls. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe