‘Member of big gun-for-hire group,’ 2 arrested in Malabon City – police

MANILA — A security guard suspected to be a member of a large-scale gun-for-hire group, his father and another man were arrested during a raid by members of the Northern Manila Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at Catmon, Malabon City, on Wednesday morning. Two other suspects fled, however, police said.

Zosimon ‘Junjun’ Jacla, 26, a security guard of the Black Night Security Agency, was arrested around 5 a.m. in his home in Samapil, Sitio 6, through a Feb. 9 search warrant issued by Malabon City’s Judge Jimmy Batara of the Regional Trial Court branch 72 for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Jacla has been linked to a gun-for-hire group operating in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela and the syndicate has been known to become active especially during the election period.

Judge Batara based his recommendation for a search warrant on the accounts of a witness identified as Arnel Escal — a middleman for money borrowers and lenders — who saw Jacla possessing assorted unlicensed guns and hand grenade at his residence during a visit. Jacla, however, was not a registered gun owner when verified by the police last Feb. 2.

During the search witnessed by Barangay Catmon councilors Arnel Mendoza and Danilo Villaralbo, the CIDG agents were able to confiscate from Jacla’s possession a 12-gauge improvised shot gun, nine rounds of live ammunition for a 12-gauge shotgun, six rounds of live ammunition for a .38-caliber gun, two firearm holsters and ammunition holsters.

Senior Superintendent Ronald Lee, chief of the Northern Metro Manila CIDG and arresting team leader, said the suspect failed to submit pertinent documents to support his possession of the firearms.

The CIDG also arrested during the raid 45-year-old carpenter Bernard Ortega and 49-year-old Zosimo Jacla, Jr. for possessing four units of video karera.

Both were charged for violating the law against illegal gambling.

The three suspects were brought to Camp Crame in Quezon City for further investigation.

An operative said the arrest, which was part of Project Oplan Paglalansag Omega, Oplan Bosilyo and Oplikop, was a product of a month-long surveillance. SFM