Raid on ex-cop’s house yields unlicensed guns, grenade

A retired policeman was arrested for possession of illegal firearms on Monday, just over a week after another former lawman was apprehended on drug charges, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Former PO3 German Riogelon Jr. was arrested during a raid on his house at Pangarap Village in Caloocan City. The police used a search warrant issued by Judge Raymundo Vallega of the Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 130.

Operatives of the NCRPO Regional Special Operations Unit seized several firearms, ammunition and explosives from the 56-year-old Riogelon, who retired from the service on June 12, a police report said.

Operatives’ haul

Their haul included an M16 rifle, an AR-15 rifle, a .38-caliber revolver, two .45-caliber pistols, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and a hand grenade.

Officials of Barangay 181 in Caloocan City accompanied the police to Riogelon’s house on Monday.

The NCRPO said they were denied entry by the former policeman’s wife, Analiza Acta, who claimed that he wasn’t home.

Forcible entry

This prompted the police to forcibly enter the house where they found Riogelon hiding.

The officer, like dismissed PO1 Alexander Pili Ilagan of the Manila Police District, was brought to the attention of authorities by a concerned citizen.

Ilagan was arrested on Nov. 3 during a drug entrapment operation in Pateros.

Riogelon is the sixth former or active duty officer to be arrested in nearly three weeks.

Along with Ilagan, the other arrested personnel — all Police Officers 1 — were Eduardo Valencia who was charged with raping a 15-year-old girl; Redentor Bautista, who was caught using cocaine at a Taguig City club; and Jayson Portuguez and Severiano Montalban III, who were accused of raping a 22-year-old gambling suspect in exchange for her release.