CIDG busts cop-led gunrunning ring

MANILA, Philippines - Police officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group - National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) busted yesterday afternoon a gunrunning ring, led by a policeman, in a buy-bust operation just across Camp Crame’s Santolan Road gate in Quezon City.

CIDG-NCR deputy chief Superintendent Jonnel Estomo identified the alleged ringleader as Inspector Ruben Ballera, detailed with the Regional Mobile Group 4 (Southern Tagalog).

Ballera, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 2007, was arrested with five other suspected gunrunners – John Lawrence Trinidad, Roy de Guzman, Alvin Francis Martinez, Mario Saludez and Genera Oblea.

The suspects were arrested near a convenience store along Santolan Road at around 3:30 p.m. by a combined CIDG and Armed Forces Reserve Command (Arescom) agents, led by Chief Inspector Jack Malinao of the CIDG-NCR South.

According to Malinao, CIDG assets have been talking to the suspects for about a month. He said the suspects agreed to sell M16 rifles for P30,000 each and set a meet two weeks ago at the Global City in Taguig but later called it off.

The suspects again made contact with the CIDG assets and arranged to meet yesterday.

“We were baffled why they wanted to meet at all places, near Camp Crame. It later turned out that they were not afraid as their leader is a policeman,” Malinao said.

Upon the suspects’ instructions, the CIDG assets parked their car on a side street at the corner of Santolan Road near the convenience store.

A few minutes later, the suspects – led by Ballera – arrived in a Honda Civic (UTE-171) and passed a regular M16 rifle and two carbine M16 rifles, wrapped in newspaper, to the CIDG assets, who handed them the marked money. 

Malinao said the suspects then told the assets that they have two more M16 carbines for sale. The assets agreed to buy them and, minutes later, more suspects in a blue Toyota Corolla (UBT-220) arrived, bringing the rifles. It was at this point the CIDG arrested the suspects.

The CIDG seized from the suspects two .9mm pistols with “PNP property” markings, though their serial numbers were defaced. The suspects also yielded assorted M16 magazines loaded with bullets, a silencer for a pistol, a scope and assorted .9mm and M16 rounds.

The suspects are currently detained at the CIDG-NCR office in Camp Crame pending the completion of an investigation.

Estomo said the buy-bust was part of the CIDG’s “Operation Plan Paglalansag” under the direction of CIDG chief Director Raul Castañeda.

Oplan Paglalansag aims to go after illegal sources of guns that could be used by armed groups during the upcoming 2010 polls.