DOJ oks indictment of gunrunner in Duterte slay plotThe Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of charges against a gunrunner tapped to smuggle in arms to be used in the assassination plot against President Rodrigo Duterte. (AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE) / mb.com.phduterte MB FILE – President Rodrigo Duterte holds up a photo, citing accounts of US troops who have killed Muslims during the US occupation of the Philippines in the early-1900s during a speech at the oath-taking of newly appointed government officials, at Malacanang palace in Manila. (AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE) / mb.com.phduterteProsecutor General Claro Arellano yesterday confirmed that an arms smuggling case will be filed before the Baclod City courts this Monday against veterinarian Bryan Ta-ala.Arellano explained that the filing the case was ordered after the DOJ issued a resolution last Friday declaring that probable cause was found to charge Ta-ala with the offense under Section 33, Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act). “Based on the above-mentioned provision of the law, the unlawful act of importation of Byran, to fraudulently bring into the country articles considered contrary to law without prior permit and authority, is a clear violation of the law,” read the resolution signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Michael Cruz approved by Arellano and Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva. Operatives of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) arrested last August 6 Ta-ala and his companion Wilford Palma in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City after retrieving a balikbayan box containing weapon parts shipped from the United States worth P4.5 million.

Source: Manila Bulletin September 17, 2016 05:37 UTC