PNP and AFP vow deeper probe into Army armory pilferage report

THE police and military leadership will conduct an in-depth investigation into the alleged pilferage of weapons and ammunition from the headquarters of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division (ID), which a couple allegedly engaged in gunrunning activities have sold to policemen.

“I have already coordinated with the commanding general of the 7th ID, [Major] Gen. Filemon Santos who is my [academy] classmate, and we agreed that we will be conducting a joint investigation,” said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde on Tuesday.

“They are so much willing to cooperate on this investigation that we will be conducting. As we have said, this is a serious matter,” the PNP chief added.

On Sunday, members of the Police Regional Intelligence Unit of the National Capital Region Police Office arrested a couple who sold P1.2 million worth of rifles and ammunition to two female police undercover agents at a gasoline station along the North Luzon Expressway in Valenzuela City.

The bust followed information coming from police units in Mindanao that the couple tagged by the police as illegal suppliers of weapons and ammunition have been the source of firearms for security threat groups and private armed groups.

Among those taken during the operation were assault rifles and ammunition for machine gun.

Albayalde said that they were told that the weapons came from Fort Magsaysay, which is the headquarters of the 7th ID.

“If this really came from their arsenal, this is dangerous. It is too many, almost 13,000 rounds [of ammunition] and high-powered firearms that came there and will go to the hands of terrorists and even criminal groups, especially in the part of Mindanao,” he said.

Albayalde said Santos assured him that they will cooperate with the probe that will be conducted jointly with the NCRPO.

Despite the joint investigation, the military is already conducting its own probe in order to determine whether the arms cache have really came from one of its units.

“In light of the recent PNP apprehension of gunrunners in Bulacan and the recovery of firearms with ammunition stamped with AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] markings, the AFP is conducting an immediate investigation to verify the source of these firearms and ammunition,” said military Public Affairs Office chief Col. Noel Detoyato.

“While we can already confirm that the captured firearms are not in our inventory, only a thorough inventory of our ammunition stocks will confirm whether there are losses in our stocks that could have fallen to the hands of these gunrunners,” he added.

Detoyato said the military imposes strict handling and control of its ammunition, and periodic inventory and “wall-to-wall” counting are being regularly done to account for each and every cartridge.

“Unfortunately, there could be unscrupulous individuals in our ranks that could have evaded our system and were able to slip out ammunition from our piles,” he said.

On the other hand, Army spokesman Col. Louie Villanueva said the Army is also conducting its own probe and will fully work with the PNP in determining the people behind the smuggling.

“We do not tolerate anyone in our ranks who are bent on doing criminal acts. If ever proven that any member of the Philippine Army is involved, we will not hesitate to impose the necessary legal or disciplinary action,” he said.