British man, Pinoy bodyguard held as Pasig raid finds guns

Matthew Marney (center) looks on as officers at the PNP-CIDG office mark the pistols and other weapons seized from his Pasig City residence in a raid on Thursday. —PHOTO COURTESY OF PNP

A British national and his Filipino driver-bodyguard were found illegally keeping a cache of firearms, ammunition and other deadly weapons at the former’s Pasig City residence, police said.

Members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) arrested Matthew Marney, 38; and Rommel Catilo, 45, in an operation on Thursday afternoon at the home occupied by the foreign national at Valle Verde 5 subdivision.

CIDG Anti-Transnational Crime Unit head Supt. Roque Merdegia said neither Marney nor Catilo were registered gun owners but they were found keeping five .45-caliber pistols and rounds of ammo, a stun gun, an iron knuckle and 14 bladed weapons.

The PNP-CIDG earlier secured a search warrant on Marney’s house, issued by Judge Danilo Cruz of Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152.

Merdegia said his unit had gotten in touch with the British embassy regarding Marney’s arrest to check if he had a criminal record. Marney was not able to explain why he had such weapons, the official added.

The raid was conducted after the PNP received a tip on Marney’s arms collection, which was later validated in a CIDG surveillance operation.

“He has been staying in the country for over a year, living at high-end residences. Marney hired Catilo as a driver and bodyguard in January,” Merdegia said.

The two men have been charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in the Pasig City prosecutor’s office.