COTABATO CITY – Policemen, backed by army soldiers, raided early Friday an illegal gun shop supplying weapons to pro-ISIS groups and criminal gangs in the town of Buluan in Maguindanao, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region, officials said.
Officials said security forces arrested a 60-year old gunsmith Abusama Abpun and seized four assorted rifles, including six Tommy guns and a tripod for .50-caliber heavy machine gun and several unassembled firearms.
Military photos released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner show security forces following a raid January 15, 2019 on an illegal gun shop in Maguindanao province.
Police Senior Superintendent James Gulmatico, regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said Abpun was believed to be supplying weapons to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and criminal groups in the province.
“The suspect was the source of firearms for criminal elements, including the BIFF. Our informant showed us videos of the suspect while repairing a gun owned by a BIFF member who personally brought the defective weapon to his shop,” he said, adding, they had a warrant to search Abpun’s premises.
Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, commander of 33rd Infantry Battalion, who led soldiers in the operation, said the campaign against lawlessness is gaining grounds following the arrest of Abpun. “We have removed another logistics support source of the BIFF and other lawless elements. We will defeat them by cutting-off the sources of their weapons,” he said.
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