MANILA - Police confiscated some P6 million worth of high-powered firearms, explosives, and ammunition from a suspected arms supplier of pol...
MANILA - Police confiscated some P6 million worth of high-powered firearms, explosives, and ammunition from a suspected arms supplier of political warlords and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday identified the suspect as Unding Kenneth Isa, who was defeated in Sulu's vice gubernatorial race last May.
A cache of M-23 grenade launchers, M-16 rifles and some 1,000 bullets were seized from Isa and three other men at a house in Barangay West Crame on Saturday.
"The contraband will be used in the alleged strengthening of the ASG's armaments in their fight against the government's forces in Sulu and Basilan, as well as the intensification of their kidnapping and bombing operations," Dela Rosa said.
The PNP chief also revealed that most of the ammunition confiscated from the suspects were traced back to the government arsenal.
"We suspect na mayroon talaga silang contact from the government arsenal dahil paano nakakalabas itong bala na ito kung wala silang contact [We suspect they have a contact from the government arsenal because how could they have gotten the bullets otherwise]?" Dela Rosa said.
Police, however, were still verifying the source of the confiscated explosives and firearms.
Isa has also refused to identify his clients from the government out of fear for the safety of his family in Sulu, according to Superintendent Roel Obusan, acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
The three other suspects were identified as Hja Rismidona Isa, Aljamer Akarab Mandih, and Hurbin Alhi Sahibu.
The group was supposed to smuggle the weapons out of Manila via a roll-on/roll-off vessel, Dela Rosa mentioned.
Nagalit naman Si Chief "Bato" Dahil Sinubukan pa siya nitong bulungan.
