(Eagle News) — Authorities have arrested a “big-time” gunrunner who has been selling weapons online, the Philippine National Police said.
According to the PNP, John Christian T. Bautista, 33, was nabbed in an entrapment operation along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 15.
The entrapment operation was organized by the Northern Police District’s Special Operations Unit, which had received information from a concerned citizen about a transaction for the sale of loose firearms at a Facebook chat group.
Confiscated from Bautista were the following:
- Thompson submachine gun cal .45 M1 SN 175291 with one magazine
- MGV 176 Cal .22 LR SN 3037
- STI 9mm with SN# KF 11205
- Cobra Special Cal .38-no serial no.
- Cal. 40 Smith and Wesson with SN NEH 8367
- Cal. 45 COLT 38720
Follow-up operations also resulted in the voluntary surrender of Bautista’s wife, who surrendered the following loose firearms and ammo that were hidden in the Bautistas’ residence in Imus, Cavite:
- Assault Riffle FMK F/A (Tactical) Infant
- One Shotgun Mossberg T 851464
- One AK SN-A 502975
- One MA Carbine cal. 5.56 MM SN 123561
- One US Carbine Defaced SN
- One cal. 22 TCM SN TR008777
- One sniper rifle SN Defaced
- One Performance STR SW-SN defaced
- One Taurus SN NDX 91540
- Assorted Box of Ammunition; Assorted Ammunition; Assorted Magazine
PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar said the accomplishment was proof that law enforcement was made more effective by a strong community partnership.
“Malaking bagay ang tulong ng publiko upang mapanatili ng ating mga kapulisan ang kaayusan sa ating mga komunidad,” the PNP Chief said.