Gun, grenade cache seized in San Juan home

MANILA, Philippines — Several firearms and explosives were seized by police during a raid on a house in San Juan City at past midnight yesterday.

The operation along N. Domingo street in Barangay Balong Bato occurred at around 12:20 a.m., National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

Nartatez said police officers under the supervision of Eastern Police District director Brig. Gen. Wilson Asueta raided a house in search of weapons owned by Ronaldo Aquino Macapagal.

Armed with a search warrant issued by a court in San Juan City, policemen swooped down on the house.

The search was witnessed by Macapagal’s relatives and barangay officials.

Police seized three hand grenades, a rifle grenade, a claymore mine, four shotguns, two 9mm handguns, three .38-caliber revolvers, a .22-caliber pistol and four .45-caliber handguns.

Lawmen also found gun accessories and several rounds of ammunition.

Police said the operation was based on information provided by Macapagal’s wife, who accused the suspect of physical abuse.

Macapagal is being held on charges of illegal possession of firearms, explosives and ammunition.

San Juan police chief Col. Francis Allan Reglos said the search warrant was issued based on the complaint filed by Macapagal’s wife, alleging that she was being physically abused and threatened.

“We received a report from our Women and Children’s Protection Desk… Our WCPD made contact with the complainant (wife), alleging that was what happened – that she was being threatened, pointed at with a gun and threatened to be bombed. This prompted us to file a search warrant,” Reglos told The STAR.

Upon searching Macapagal’s house, Reglos said they were “surprised by the volume of firearms they recovered.”

Despite the number of firearms seized from the suspect, police said Macapagal has no pending police record or warrant of arrest.

Reglos said the suspect inherited some of the firearms from his father and later became a gun enthusiast.