In Boracay: Police nab alleged gunrunner

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected gunrunner was arrested Wednesday evening by the police in a buy-bust at Barangay Balabag in Boracay Island of Malay, Aklan.

Jerson Relojero, 29, a resident of Barangay Cabayugan, Malinao, Aklan, was collared after accepting the P42,000 marked money as “payment” for two firearms.

A police posuer buyer, who identified himself as a businessman, bought from Relojero a .9mm machine pistol (Intratec Miami) with serial number 041405 for P36,000 and a .357-caliber magnum revolver for P6,000.

Members of the Provincial Intelligence Branch–Aklan, together with the CIDG–Aklan, Regional Intelligence Division-6, Boracay Tourist Assistance Center and Aklan Public Safety Company staged the operation against the suspect after receiving a tip last month that he also doubled as a gunrunner.

Senior Superintendent Samuel Nacion, Aklan Police chief, said Relojero was an employee  of  Zetro ATV, a company which is into rentals of all-terrain vehicles in Boracay.

“Most of his (Relojero) buyers are businessmen in Boracay. We believed that these are used for protection purposes more than doing crimes,” said Nacion, but he pointed out that it still did not justify that they got it from an unlicensed source.

Investigation revealed the suspect sourced his supply from another gunrunner in Panay Island. Aside from the two firearms, assorted ammunition were also recovered from Relojero’s possession. (FREEMAN)