ZAMBOANGA CITY—Two Philippine Army officers were arrested for gun smuggling in an entrapment operation in the town of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay province on Tuesday (March 23).
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Zamboanga Peninsula police chief, identified the two Army officers as Capt. Christopher Galvez Eslava, 41, of Makilala, Cotabato and Cpl. Ryan Laure Larot, 35, of Pagadian City.
Both belonged to the Army Reserve Command of the Regional Community Defense Group in Western Mindanao.
Seized from the two officers were an M4 Daniel Carbine, an M4 Colt Carbine, an M4 Tirarc System Carbine, two 9 mm pistols, a rifle grenade, three 40 mm grenades, six M-16 magazines, three caliber .40 magazines and P1.2 million in marked money used in the entrapment operation.
According to Ylagan, Eslava and Larot have been involved in gunrunning and gun smuggling.
Ylagan said the suspects and the confiscated firearms are currently in the custody of the Ipil police.