Pasay City cop arrested for gun-running

Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat, director of the Philippine National Police-Counter Intelligence Task Force, scolds PO2 Jaid Pingli, who was arrested for gun-running just near the PNP Headquarters (Camp Crame) in Quezon City on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. INQUIRER.net/Cathrine Gonzales

Operatives of the Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF) arrested Tuesday a Pasay City police officer allegedly involved in gun-running.

PO2 Jaid Pingli, a native of Lamitan, Basilan, was arrested in a buy-bust operation along Third Avenue in Barangay Bagong Lipunan, a stone’s throw away from the Philippine National Police Headquarters (Camp Crame) in Quezon City.

The CITF also arrested Pingli’s cohort Jose Dalayre during the operation.

The suspects were arrested after an undercover CITF agent managed to close a deal and pay them P90,000 for the firearms. Police recovered from the suspects an M16 rifle and a 9mm pistol.

CITF Director Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat said the entrapment operation stemmed from a complaint by Pingli’s customers, who told authorities about the suspect’s sale of defective firearms.

According to Caramat, Pingli is involved in gun-running activities in Metro Manila, Region 1, and the Cordillera Administrative Region; and has politicians for customers, including two from Kalinga province whom he did not name.

Caramat also cited initial reports, showing the suspect is a relative of the notorious Pingli brothers, who are involved in kidnap-for-ransom activities in Zamboanga Peninsula. Caramat said some of Pingli’s cousins were killed in police operations, jailed or still at large.  /kga