Gunsmith falls, guns confiscated in Danao

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected gun maker was caught manufacturing guns and was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Barangay Suba, Danao City.

Jover Enriquez was arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 and Danao City Police Station after confirming the suspect’s illegal activity.

CIDG-7 deputy chief Superintendent Fermin Armendarez said they sent a confidential informant to verify the report they received about the gun-manufacturing activities of Enriquez.

“Pag-adto niya, naa man ngadto, (inside a shanty) 3 meters away from the road side, naghimo og armas. Nanawag siya sa akoa, naka-decide ko atong dakpon kay nakita nato in plain view,” Armendarez said.

Confiscated inside the shanty were a caliber 45 pistol, five caliber 22 magnum revolvers, six unfinished caliber 45 pistols, two unfinished caliber 38 revolvers, two magazines for a caliber 45 and gun-manufacturing equipment.

Armendarez estimated the value of the recovered items to be around P150,000.

The suspect, who did not resist arrest, denied owning the shop, saying he was only a runner. He failed to name the owner, though.

Armendarez said that the suspect, who was arrested for the first time, is not included on their list of gun manufacturers in Danao City, an area in Cebu known for its gun industry.

The suspect, according further to Armendarez, was a former employee of a legal gun manufacturer. He was removed from the job and later on resorted to making guns illegally.

The suspect’s clients are allegedly from outside Central Visayas like Ormoc City and Mindanao.

The suspect, in an interview, denied the allegations.

“Naatlan ra ko nila ngadto. Wa ko’y mahimo kay didto man gyud ko, igo ra man ko didto dagan-dagan ba,” he said.

He is currently detained at CIDG-7 detention cell and will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions. (FREEMAN)