2 men arrested for illegal guns in Maguindanao and Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — Soldiers and police arrested on separate occasions on Friday two men for possession of unlicensed guns.

Two guns were seized from a businessman in Kabacan, Cotabato whose house was raided by police based on a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Henelinda Molina-Diaz.

Aside from two unlicensed guns, police also found 11 sachets of suspected shabu in the house of 29-year-old businessman King Gatus Saladaga on USM Avenue, Kabacan.

Maj. Peter Pinalgan Jr., chief of the Kabacan Municipal Polie Station, said Saladaga failed to present documents for his two .45-caliber pistols.

Pinalgan said Saladaga had been placed on surveillance operation after receiving information from tipsters about his alleged illegal activities.

Saladaga is facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and illegal drugs.

In Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao, soldiers from the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion manning a checkpoint arrested a tricycle driver for possession of an unlicensed .45-caliber pistol.

Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said Guidsali M. Sula, 25, resident of Barangay Salbu of Datu Saudi Ampatuan was driving his tricycle with his three children when flagged down by soldiers for routine inspection at Barangay Elian detachment.

A loaded .45-caliber was found inside Sula’s sling bag.

When quizzed, he said it was “for self-defense.” However, he failed to show legal documents for the gun.

Carreon, also concurrent commander of Joint Task Force Central, reminded every citizen that bearing of undocumented firearms is illegal.

Sula was turned over to Datu Saudi Ampatuan Municipal Police Station while his children were turned over to Sula’s wife with the help of the local social welfare office of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.

/atm