Suspected gun smuggling syndicate member claims Duterte targeted for assassination
A member of a gun smuggling syndicate who was caught in a police operation last month revealed on Thursday one of their customers was part of a group planning to assassinate President Rodrigo Duterte.
The suspect, Wilford Palma, said the customer planned to order "lower end parts" of firearms sometime this year. Based on his recollection, the person wanted about 100 upper receivers, 40 barrels and 30 bolt assemblies.
"The person told they plan to use (this) in the assassination of President Duterte," Palma said in a press conference on Thursday.
Palma refused to divulge the identity of the person except that he is a regular customer.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said this assassination threat is “not something new” to Duterte.
“You know, this threat. He eats threats for breakfast. Meaning to say, it’s not something new to him. It’s just that, I said again and again, that he puts his life, his honor, the presidency on the line for his campaign,” said Abella in a Malacanang briefing.
These components could produce about 100 M-16 rifles according to Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa.
The transaction did not materialize as police captured Palma and his boss, Bryan Ta-ala last August 6 around 11 am in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City for possessing firearm parts smuggled from the United States.
They were charged for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act on August 8 before the justice department in Manila. Ta-ala is under hospital arrest in Bacolod for hypertension.
Ta-ala's modus operandi is smuggling firearms component parts from the US using fictitious names and false documents. These are shipped through using legitimate international cargo forwarders. Once in the country, these are advertised through a website .
The US Homeland Security alerted the Philippine government about the suspects' illegal activities which according to Palma has been going on for two years.
"The items are then sold to gun enthusiasts across the country which are then shipped to customers using local courier services," Chief Superintendent Roel Obusan, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said in a statement.
When they were arrested, police confiscated from their possession P4.5 million worth of firearms parts composed of 35 pieces of trigger housing, 15 buffer spring locks, 10 barrels, one rail without barrel, a rail with suppressor, 10 black butt assemblies, five gray butt assemblies, 15 buffer spring guides, five quick detach scope mounts, 60 upper receivers for M4 carbines and two beverage entry tools. Emmanuel Tupas and Celerina Monte
