Alleged leader of illegal gun ring, accomplices arrested in QC

Members of an illegal gun syndicate are arrested in Quezon City. PHOTO/NCRPO

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested the leader of a “notorious” gun syndicate in Quezon City, along with two of his cohorts on Wednesday, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.

Police identified the suspects as Luis Espenilla Anabi, 40, the suspected leader of the “Espenilla Gun-Running syndicate group”, Rona Castañeda, 38, and Edmundo Salido, 45.

PHOTO/NCRPO

Castañeda and Salido were identified as members of the syndicate “mainly responsible for the selling/dealing of firearms to other lawless elements, personalities and politicians in relation to the upcoming national elections and other criminal activities,” the NCRPO said.

PHOTO/NCRPO

According to NCRPO, the suspects were arrested after an entrapment operation led to their arrest in a parking area of a fast-food chain restaurant in Barangay Pasong Putik Proper, Novaliches, Quezon City at 1:10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Officers tipped off by an informant were able to locate the guns after they learned that high-caliber firearms were being sold illegally in the area of Quezon City. The syndicate is reportedly active in the provinces of Bulacan and Region 3 as well as in Metro Manila.

Further investigations revealed that the syndicate was trying to sell an M4 rifle for P160,000 each and a shotgun for P40,000.

Authorities seized multiple guns and ammunition from the suspects, one unit shotgun rifle; one shotgun magazine;  three live 12 gauge ammunition; two units of M4 rifles; two magazines of M4 rifle and 13 live 5.56 ammunition.

Also confiscated in the arrest were two wallets with different identification cards, a white multicab, three cell phones and buy-bust money.

The suspects are currently under custody at the Regional Special Operations Group Office in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City for the filing of appropriate charges for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act.”

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