POLICE operatives arrested an alleged big-time gunrunner in Pasay City on Tuesday morning and seized 15 assorted firearms, PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar announced on Wednesday night.
Eleazar said the arrest of John Christian Bautista, 33, a resident of Barangay Bucandala IV in Imus, Cavite, would reduce the proliferation of loose firearms and gun-related violence in Metro Manila, CALABARZON and nearby provinces.
Before the operation, operatives of the Northern Police District’s Special Operations Unit received information from a concerned citizen about the sale of loose firearms through a Facebook chat group.
Policemen validated the activity and arranged to buy firearms from the suspect.
Bautista was nabbed by NPD-SOU operatives after he turned over two sub-machine guns and four handguns to a poseur buyer.
Follow-up operations resulted in the surrender by Bautista’s wife of nine more rifles and handguns and assorted ammunition and magazines.
Eleazar said police is conducting further investigation to determine whether Bautista is working alone or is part of a larger gunrunning syndicate.
“If he is part of a group, we have to track down the other members. Northern Police District investigators are also looking into the possible recipients of the high-powered firearms seized from the suspect. Investigators have to establish the identities of the suspects’ customers,” he said.
He said the number of firearms recovered during the operations was no joke, adding this would pose a problem to the police if these landed in the hands of crime groups.
“Our investigators are also piecing together the system Bautista has been using to evade detection of his gunrunning activities. He has been in business for over three years,” Eleazar added.
Eleazar also said there were instances in the past when the suspect had guns delivered to his clients through courier service. He urged courier services to be wary of items they are delivering and ensure the packages do not contain contraband.
