NBI seizes arms cache from trader

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced yesterday the arrest of a 40-year-old trader, who was found in possession of some P500,000 worth of unlicensed firearms during an entrapment operation.

Regional Director Ruel Lasala, of the NBI-NR, identified the suspect as Boni Bole Datoy, of Murphy Cubao. He was slapped with of illegal possession of firearms charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Lasala said they intensified the campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms. He pointed out that they even conducted follow-up operations in Cebu to pin down Datoy.

NBI-NCR executive officer and head agent Rosauro Bautista said Datoy’s arrest was a product of a three-week surveillance.

Confiscated from the suspect were three M-16 rifles, an Ultimax rifle, four caliber .45 pistols, three 357 revolvers and other short firearms. Bautista said the guns are worth some P500,000.

They are still trying to find out the source of the firearms.

NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Victor Bessat said even the Armed Forces of the Philippines does not have an Ultimax rifle. He said the rifle seized from the suspect may have been smuggled from Singapore.

"These loose firearms can be used for bank robberies and by hired killers," Bautista said.

It can be recalled that during the late NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco’s last press conference on Nov. 7, the bureau presented a suspect engaged in the gun-for-hire business. Some P1.5 million worth of assorted firearms were seized.

Suspect Jericho Tabing was allegedly a member of the Sarno-Alindog Group, which operates in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon.

Wycoco had said that since assuming the top NBI post almost five years ago, it was the first time that they had apprehended a person for providing weapons to suspected bank robbers and other criminal groups.