GAPAN CITY, NUEVA ECIJA — Four individuals — including a man believed to be a notorious member of a criminal group — were arrested during the implementation of search warrants in Barangay San Roque of this city.

Police Regional Office 3 regional director Brigadier General Cesar Pasiwen said that authorities arrested Richard Domingo aka Gemo, who is an alleged member of the Salvador Robbery and Illegal Drug Group.

Pasiwen also identified the three other suspects as John Mark Navarro alias John John, Julius Ulpindo and Guillermo Magbitang, all residents of Barangay San Roque.

Seized from their suspects were two pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu; an opened plastic sachet containing residue of suspected shabu weighing 25 grams amounting to P170,000; two pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected marijuana weighing 0.45 grams amounting to P300; a Taurus cal. 40 pistol with serial no. SCP38254; a magazine for a cal. 40 pistol; an Armscor cal. 38 revolver without serial number; 12 pcs of live ammunition of cal. 40; five pieces live ammunition of cal. 38; a red box containing 53 pieces live ammunition of cal. 40; and a MK2 fragmentation grenade.

Pasiwen lauded the coordination of the Gapan City Police Station, 303rd MC Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3, 4th MC 1st Provincial Mobile Force Command, PIU Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office, and Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 3, and the Special Concern Unit 3.

"Our aggressive drive to recover and seize loose firearms as well as prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs through continuous police operations and implementation of Search Warrants against illegal gun owners are being carried out as we are committed to account all weapons being used as instruments of crime which is also in line with the M+K+K= K program of PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.," Pasiwen said.