Cops bust 3 ‘gunrunners’

AUTHORITIES vowed to go after remaining members of the so-called Butanlog Criminal Group engaged in gunrunning in the Davao Region following the arrest of its leader and three members on Wednesday.

Col. Alexander Tagum, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) chief, said the local police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-11 arrested the three gunrunning suspects in two separate entrapment operations here.

Tagum identified the suspects as Sario Tamay Butanlog, the group’s alleged leader, Anthony Anib Corpus, Alfie Tadiaman Doctor, and Victor Sales Penerio.

Tagum said the arrest of the suspects was the result of tight security measures being implemented in the city.

Seized from the possession of the suspects were several firearms and ammunition, marked money, and other pieces of evidence.

Major Milgrace Driz, CIDG-11 deputy director, said the arrested persons worked as security guards in different security agencies in the city.

Driz said initial investigation showed that the group’s sources of unlicensed firearms were from Cebu, Marawi, and Cotabato.

“The seized firearms are subjected for ballistic

exams in the crime laboratory and their names were forwarded to firearms and explosive ordinance unit for verification,” Driz said.

Cases for violation of the Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act were being filed Thursday afternoon against the suspects who are temporarily detained at the detention facility of the CIDG-11. (PNA)