Senior citizen arrested for making, selling homemade firearms in Rizal


A 67-year-old man was arrested for allegedly making and selling unlicensed homemade firearms in Baras, Rizal.

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The arrested suspect during a media interview.
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Authorities confiscate alleged homemade firearms from a senior citizen in Baras, Rizal. (Photo from Rizal PPO)

The Rizal Police Provincial Office (Rizal PPO) did not disclose the identity of the suspect, who was arrested based on a tip from an informant. Operatives served a search warrant on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Rizal PPO director Col. Felipe Maraggun said they seized firearms, including an M16 rifle, various parts of loose firearms, live ammunition, and tools for making homemade guns, all of which were unlicensed.

“Yung kaniyang paggawa is parang DIY. Wala naman siyang mga machine na panggawa ng baril kundi yung mga do-it-yourself na doon mismo sa kaniyang bahay (His firearm-making process was similar to DIY. He did not have machines for manufacturing guns but used do-it-yourself methods, making them entirely at home),” Maraggun said.

He said the confiscated loose firearms were submitted to the Forensic Unit for ballistic examination.

Meanwhile, the suspect denied the accusations, stating that the firearms were only left with him by a friend.

“Kung p'wede raw ilagay ko muna doon (bahay) at babalikan ng gabi. Sabi ko eh balikan mo agad, ayaw kong nandito 'yan. However, hindi na siya bumalik (He asked if he could leave the firearms at my house and come back for them in the evening. I told him to come back right away because I didn't want them here. However, he never returned),” the suspect said.

“Wala pong gumagana except for the M16 na iniwan nga lang. Lahat po yun ay sira, matagal na pong sira at kulang-kulang ang piyesa (None of those firearms were working except for the M16. All the others were broken, had been damaged for a long time, and were missing parts),” he added.

The old man also said that he was just repairing firearms and denied selling guns.

"Nag-aayos ako ng baril, recently lang 'yun... tinitignan ko lang kung kakayanin ko. Hindi po totoo 'yun na nagbebenta ako ng baril (I am just fixing firearms, I’m just checking if I can do it. It’s not true that I am selling guns). I never sold a gun,” he claimed.

Maraggun also said that the seizure of the firearms is significant due to the ongoing gun ban in preparation for the upcoming election period.

The suspect is detained at the Baras Municipal Police Station Custodial Facility and will face charges for violating the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and the Omnibus Election Code.