Ex-cop faces probe for selling his service firearm

A former police officer is facing an investigation for allegedly selling his service firearm to a woman in Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City.

PO1 Lowel Reyes, 30, was accused of selling his government-issued Glock 17 pistol to a certain Lady Jing Toledo, who was arrested along with her live-in partner during a buy-bust operation last August 27.

The policeman reportedly got P9,000 in exchange for the firearm.

Reyes used to be assigned at the Cebu City Public Safety Company based in the mountain barangay of Sudlon, before his transfer to the Bohol Provincial Police Office.

Senior Supt. Renato Dugan, personnel division chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said Reyes was dropped from the rolls of the Philippine National Police after he was suspended three times for a number of infractions.

Dugan said leaving or selling a police firearm to another person is a serious offense in the PNP.

“You just can’t entrust your firearm to anyone. You’re not supposed to do that. And even if he would say, he just left it with a civilian, he would still be held answerable for negligence,” he told reporters.

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, PRO-7 director, said they are collating all pieces of evidence as the Regional Investigation, Detection and Management Branch (IDMB) investigates Reyes.

“We will dig deeper into this case. If the accusations are true, he (Reyes) could be charged with malversation of public property,” he said.

Last August 27, operatives of the Mabolo Police Station conducted a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bonbon and arrested their target, Glandy Reyes, who sold a pack of shabu to a poseur buyer.

In the course of the operation, Senior Insp. Jacinto Mandal Jr., chief of the Mabolo Police, said they found Glandy’s live-in partner, Lady Jing Toledo, in possession of a gun with 10 live ammunition.

Toledo couldn’t present any permit to carry a gun.

Mandal said Toledo admitted that she bought the gun from PO1 Reyes who was also a resident of Barangay Bonbon.

Based on their investigation, Mandal said Glandy was hired as lookout of guns-for-hire, including the slay of Pastor Crisostomo Maternal, an anti-drug crusader, who was killed last June.

Glandy was charged with selling of illegal drugs, a non-bailable offense.

Toledo, on the other hand, was charged with illegal possession of firearms before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office.