An active police officer who is a relative of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom group member reportedly involved in the kidnapping of two American nationals in Mindanao and his civilian cohort allegedly link to gun running activities were arrested by police intelligence operatives Tuesday afternoon.
The Counter-Intelligence Task Force office identified the suspect as PO2 Jaid Awal Pingli, assigned at Station 1, Pasay Community Precinct Station, and his alleged cohort Jose Dalayre, a gunsmith.
CITF commander Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat said Pingli was arrested by CITF operatives and agents of the Intelligence Group during an entrapment operation along 3rd Avenue, Bagong Lipunan ng Camp Crame at 2:45 pm.
An undercover CITF agent had just paid P90,000 for a firearm to Pingli.
Confiscated from Pingli were one M4 caliber 5.56 Armalite rifle with a scope and a magazine with 7 bullets, a short plastic magazine and one Tanfoglio 99mm pistol and a magazine with 10 bullets.
Caramat said the operation stemmed from an intelligence packet stating the suspect was involved in gunrunning activities in Region 1, Cordillera, particularly in Kalinga province and Metro Manila.
He said Pingli had politicians as customers, including two from Kalinga province he declined to identify.
The CITF also believed that Pingli was the source of firearms of lawless elements.
CITF records showed the police officer was a relative of the Pingli brothers, a notorious KFR Group in Zamboanga City and a criminal gang.
One of his relatives, Wahid Pingli, alias Guru, the leader of the KFR group was killed in 2012 after he resisted arrest during the service of an arrest warrant while Ismael Pingli, alias Tago, was arrested in 2016.
Another Pingli family member, Gafur Pingli, who is also the subject of police operations remain at large.
The CITF said the Pingli brothers were responsible for the kidnapping of American national Gerfa Yeatts Lunsman and her 14-year old son Kevin in July 2012 while vacationing somewhere in Mindanao.
The CITF said the Pingli brothers were reportedly involved in the kidnapping of three public school teachers in Sacol Island in Zamboanga City in 2009 and extortion activities among prominent families in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Meanwhile, a police officer in Isabela, Basilan was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Brgy Menzi Tuesday.
PO3 Jayton Masong Lagdameo, assigned with Isabela City Police Station was on his way home on board an XRM motorcycle when fired upon by riding in tandem criminals at about 11:45 am.
