A retired police officer was arrested for having a cache of weapons and ammunition in his possession in an entrapment operation at Mila’s Restaurant in Barangay 4, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, June 29.
Nabbed was Demosthenes Fernandez of Villa Angela Subdivision, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City. He used to be a police intelligence officer assigned to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
He sold a 9mm caliber Ingram submachine pistol with 28 live ammunition to Maj. Jake Barila, Hinigaran police chief, and was arrested after allegedly failing to show registration papers.
Barila said the suspect contacted him for the sale of a weapon and magazines.
On his arrest, Fernandez, who was tagged by the police as a loose firearms dealer, also yielded high-powered weapons and ammunition.
Seized from him were a 9mm submachine pistol, M-14 rifle, M-16- rifle, .40 caliber pistol, 9mm pistol, two revolvers, 120 pieces of 5.56 caliber ammunition, 16 pieces of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 41 pieces of .45 caliber ammunition, 52 pieces of .40 caliber ammunition, 16 pieces of 9mm ammunition, six magazines for an M-16 rifle, six magazines for a .40 caliber pistol, four magazines for a .45 caliber pistol, two magazines for a 9mm machine pistol, and one magazine for an M- 14 rifle, a police report showed.
Fernandez was charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Col. Romy Palgue, police provincial director, warned individuals who are engaging in the sale and possession of loose firearms to stop their illegal activities.
He also appealed to those who own loose firearms to surrender them to their nearest police station.
Meanwhile, gun holders with expired licenses and firearms registration can join the License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) and Firearms registration caravan at the Cadiz Arena in Cadiz City from July 1 to 2.*