Two gun runners nabbed in Las Piñas sting operation

From GMA News:

Two suspected gunrunners—one of them allegedly an American citizen—were arrested after a police operation in southern Metro Manila.

Police arrested Felix Mabarosa, 51, and Joseph Cacho, 42, an alleged American citizen, in the raid, GMA News’ Emil Sumangil reported on “24 Oras.”

But Mabarosa denied links to gunrunning, saying the firearms being sold in the sting operation were not his.

“Kami lang po ay napagdaanan ng baril na yun. Hindi talaga sa amin yun,” Mabarosa said.

Footage from a surveillance camera showed the suspects trying to flee after being caught, but being caught in the end.

Intelligence agents of the Las Piñas City Police had placed the two under surveillance for two weeks.

The initial transaction was held at a safe house of the suspects, outside one of the newly built townhouses at Pilar Village in Las Piñas City. A hidden camera documented the deal.

After 30 minutes, the suspects invited the undercover intelligence police officers into the townhouse to close the deal.

The firearm to be sold in the deal was a Smith and Wesson magnum .357 handgun, for P12,000.

But once the undercover agent handed over the marked money, the arrests were made.

Police said the two suspects had been on their watch list for some time. They said the sale of the firearms may have contributed to the criminality in the area.

Las Piñas City police chief Senior Superintendent Adolfo Samala said the firearms were not licensed.

“Sino man ang pwedeng mag-possess nito ay maaaring magamit sa krimen na mahihirapan tayo ma-detect dahil hindi ito dumaan sa proseso ng pagpapa-ballistic,” he said.—Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News