Cops find firearm cache in alleged hideout of criminal group in Batangas

LUCENA CITY – Police raided the hideout of an alleged notorious criminal group in San Juan town in Batangas province on Saturday, July 16, and recovered a cache of high-powered firearms, reports said Sunday.

Police Brigadier General Antonio Yarra, Police Regional Office 4-A chief, in a report Sunday said that cops, armed with a search warrant, swooped down on the house of Jay-R Bas in Barangay (village) Quipot at around 1 p.m.

Bas was not around during the raid but the policemen recovered an M16 rifle, two calibers .9mm pistols, one caliber .45 pistol, several magazines and assorted bullets, three pieces of 20mm high explosives, four pieces of rifle grenades, and two hand grenades.

The recovered firearms will be subjected to ballistics examination and records verification to determine if the weapons had been used in other crimes.

Police Colonel Glicerio Cansilao, Batangas police chief, tagged Bas as an alleged member of a criminal group engaged in gun-for-hire and illegal gambling operations in the province.

The police said the raid stemmed from numerous complaints from villagers that Bas have been allegedly firing his guns “in different occasions that threatened the safety of others.”

The police are conducting further investigation and have launched a manhunt operation to arrest the suspect.

Bas will face criminal charges for violation of Republic Act No. 10591, also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

READ: Army finds arms cache believed left by NPA in Albay town