Arms cache seized in separate raids in Masbate City
LEGAZPI CITY -- Police operatives seized an arms cache and arrested two people in separate raids in barangays Nursery and Kinamaligan in Masbate City on Thursday.
Marino Torrecampo, 54, of Barangay Nursery and Antonio Barotil, 54, married, a gunsmith and welder, of Barangay Kinamaligan were nabbed by operatives of the Regional Special Operation Task Group, spokesperson of Police Regional Office 5 (Bicol), Senior Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, said Friday.
The operatives, armed with search warrants, swooped down on Torrecampo in his residence at 4:42 p.m. on Thursday and confiscated two 9mm. pistols, .45-caliber revolver, .32-caliber pistol, a 22-caliber revolver, a one-piece upper receiver for an M16 rifle, two pieces of butt for M16 rifles, and assorted tools for gun repair.
Meanwhile, policemen who raided Barotil’s house at 5 p.m. on Thursday, seized a KG-9 sub-machine pistol, two .45caliber pistols, five .38caliber revolvers, three .22-caliber pistols, a 9mm. handgun, a .25caliber pistol, a 32caliber pistol, and assorted magazines and live ammunition.
Calubaquib said police investigators are determining if the seized firearms are documented or loose firearms.
She said the suspects are detained at the Masbate Police custodial facility while awaiting the filing of charges against them for violating the election gun ban and illegal possession of firearms.