News Update PNP orders gun stores closed

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered the closure of all stores owned by a firearms and ammunition dealer across the country following its alleged involvement in anomalous gun loans for police recruits in Central Mindanao. No less than Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, ordered the temporary suspension of the license to operate granted by the PNP to R. Espinelli Trading, one of the popular duly-licensed firearms and ammunition dealer in the country. "Likewise, the Civil Security Group ordered the temporary closure of the storage vault of R. Espinelli Trading at the Firearms and Explosives Division (FED) in Camp Crame," said Verzosa. "The gun dealer was also ordered to turn over to FED all firearms on display at the different gun store branches," he added. The move was in response to the recommendation of the PNP-Internal Affairs Service (IAS), which is currently investigating numerous complaints in the facilitation of loans to police recruits undergoing training in Central Mindanao. "The investigation uncovered some irregularities in the purchase of firearms by police recruits through loan facilitated by R. Espinelli Trading," said Director Ifor Magbanua, IAS officer-in-charge. Magbanua bared that 57 police recruits undergoing basic training at the Regional Training School 12 in General Santos City were offered gun loans by R. Espinelli Trading through the Public Safety Savings and Loan Association Inc. (PSSLAI) for the purchase of handguns supplied by the gun dealer. The official declared that the transaction was in gross violation of a PNP policy regarding salary loans for police recruits.

News Update Nueva Ecjia’s most wanted killed in Good Friday shootout

A suspected robbery gang leader included in Nueva Ecija’s most-wanted list was killed in a shootout with policemen in Rizal town on Good Friday, a local police director said Saturday.

Danilo Gatchalian, 36, leader of the so-called Gatchalian gang allegedly involved in robbery-holdup and carnapping, was shot dead by policemen at a checkpoint in Barangay Bicos in Rizal town at 5:10 a.m. Friday, provincial police director Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez said Saturday. Police units pursued Gatchalian after he tried to escape when he was spotted at the checkpoint aboard a motorcycle. The gang leader traded gunshots with the policemen chasing him. The police said he died from gunshot wounds. None of the policemen who pursued Gatchalian were hurt, although the police vehicle was damaged, Marquez said. According to Marquez, Gatchalian had at least 12 standing warrants of arrest for robbery-holdup and carnapping before Regional Trial Courts of Cabanatuan City and San Jose City. Among these cases are robbery-holdup incidents in Rizal town last September 12 and March 8 and in Gen. Natividad town last March 15.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV,