Police seized Thursday night 64 firearms and arrested a man when they swooped down on a gun shop allegedly selling unlicensed weapons in Quezon City.
Operatives of the Quezon City Police District’s special operations unit (DSOU) raided at about 6 p.m. the Triple A Gun and Ammo Dealer on 2nd Avenue in Barangay Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Cubao. It is located just a few walks away from the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame.
Police found 11 long firearms and 53 handguns including a Garand rifle, some shotguns and several revolvers and pistols.
The guns have no documents and serial numbers. Also two different guns bear the same serial numbers, police added.
The raid was conducted after Judge Angelene Quimpo-Sale of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court issued a search warrant against brothers Joel Mendoza, 37, and his brother Johnny who operate the gun shop.
The siblings in a test buy reportedly sold a loose .45-caliber pistol to police poseur-buyers last week.
Police arrested Joel but did not find Johnny during the raid.
The gun shop was registered to the siblings’ mother who was a retired policewoman. It has a permit valid until February 2021.
While Joel was able to present papers proving their business legitimate, he failed to show pertinent documents to possess the confiscated firearms.
Because of the raid, the shop is in danger of losing its license to sell nor repair firearms, according to police.
The QCPD has filed charges relating to RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition against Joel who is now detained at the DSOU office in Camp Karingal.
The seized guns will be turned over to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) in Camp Crame for verification.
(VANNE ELAINE P. TERRAZOLA)