“Gunrunner” falls in Danao City raid

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected gunrunner was arrested with several unlicensed firearms inside his house in Barangay Suba, Danao City yesterday morning.

Suspect Ricky Laurente, in his 40s, was placed under arrest after at least 18 firearms amounting to P300,000 were recovered from his house.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7, armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Soliver Peras, raided the suspect’s house on Duterte Street.

The operation was conducted together with personnel of Danao City Police Station.

The police seized from the suspect eight cal. 45 pistols, five cal. 38 revolvers – one of which was still unfinished – and five cal.22 magnum revolvers.

Also found inside the suspect’s house were 33 live rounds and seven magazines for a cal. 45 pistol and 11 live rounds for a cal. 9mm.

Senior Inspector Delfin Bontuyan, chief investigator of CIDG-7, said Laurente had been selling firearms for the past year and most of his customers were from Mindanao.

“Gunrunner g’yud siya. Mamaligyaay og armas,” said Bontuyan.

According to Bontuyan, the suspect would sell around 10 to 15 pieces of firearms for every order he receives from customers in Mindanao.

“Naa ra man kuno mga Muslim nga mokuha diri sa Cebu anang mga armas,” said Bontuyan.

Laurente also allegedly has customers from Cebu but he mostly relies on orders from Mindanao, said Bontuyan.

The firearms, which Laurente buys from mountain areas in Cebu, are sold at prices ranging from P12,000 to P14,000 each.

Bontuyan said they also recovered from the suspect’s residence coloring equipment for firearms.

The suspect will be facing charges for violating Republic Act 10591 or the law on illegal possession of firearms. — /NSA (FREEMAN)