Bank retiree held for arms cache

MANILA, Philippines — A 69-year-old retired bank employee was arrested Thursday afternoon after a cache of unlicensed firearms was found at his house in Makati City, an official said yesterday.

Jose Gozar Samala was standing outside his house on Cabanilla street when police served him a search warrant, according to Maj. Gideon Ines, chief of the city police’s investigation and detection unit.

Three pistols – a Glock 9mm, a .380 caliber Bersa, a 9mm Beretta – as well as a .22 caliber rifle were among the firearms seized from Samala.

Seven Glock short magazines with 105 9mm bullets, three Glock long magazines with 66 9mm bullets, 10 .380 caliber magazines with 70 bullets, three 9mm Beretta magazines with 45 bullets, a Beretta suppressor, four magazine pouches three holsters, 154 .380 caliber bullets and 50 .45 caliber bullets were also seized from Samala.

Ines said they repeatedly informed Samala to renew the registration of his firearms through their “Oplan Katok” program, but he ignored them. 

He said that only two of Samala’s firearms were registered but they opted to seize all of them for his failure to comply with Republic Act 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.