Police arrested a member of a gun-running syndicate in Tarlac and seized six high-powered arms and ammunition during a raid Wednesday afternoon.
Chief Supt.Victor Deona, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, identified the individual arrested as Alfredo Miguel, 61.
Miguel is believed to belong to the Cielo Group engaged in gun-running in the province.
Deona added that the primary target of the raid, Wilson Cielo, was not around when the operation took place in Sitio Malagayuma, Barangay Balaoang, Paniqui, Tarlac at 4:30 p.m. on said day.
The raid was carried out on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Bernal Fajardo of Regional Trial Court Branch 67 of Paniqui, Tarlac against Cielo for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Firearms and Ammunition Law.
Seized from the supposed hideout were one .22 cal. rifle, a .45 cal. pistol, a magnum 357 revolver, one shotgun, a carbine rifle, ammunition and magazines.
Deona said his office is preparing criminal charges against Miguel as CIDG tracker teams continue to look for Cielo and other members of the group.
In separate operations, CIDG operatives confiscated ammunition for different calibers for .45 pistol at the residence of Dennis Quilanio and Arnel Quilanio, the object of three search warrants for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Law and Firearms and Ammunition Law.
The operations against the suspect was effected based on the search warrants issued by Hon. Ma. Ellen Aguilar, presiding judge, RTC Branch 70 of Burgos, Pangasinan.
CIDG operatives failed to arrest the two suspects during the operations; surveillance is ongoing.