Carolyn Bonquin, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The Sandiganbayan has found former Philippine Marines Col. Cesar Dela Peña and ex-Brigadier General Percival Subala guilty of illegal disposition of firearms after allegedly smuggling high-powered firearms in 2000.Private individuals Edelbert C. Uyboco and Gerardo D. Vijandre were also convicted, along with Manuel Ferdinand B. Trinidad and Michael R. Boregas, representatives of private firearms dealer Trimark Ventures.The decision penned by Justice Roland Jurado, concurred by Justices Alex Gesmundo and Maria Theresa Gomoez-Estoeta, sentenced Dela Peña, Percival, Uyboco, Vijandre, Trinidad and Boregas, to 4 years and 2 months, up to 6 years and 8 months in jail. They are also directed to pay a P30,0000 fine.Meanwhile, former Navy Captain Teodoro M. Briones has been acquitted.The court also ordered an issuance of arrest warrant against SPO4 Richard B. Zules, who is still in hiding.The case filed in 2009, stemmed from the confiscation of five MP5 sub-machine guns, along with 96 assorted short firearms and rifles from a Taiwanese-led gunrunning syndicate on October 5, 2000 in Subic Zambales. Based on the serial numbers, investigators found that the MP5s seized were included in a supposed delivery of 72 units to the Philippine Marines, but never reached the said command.Dela Peña&#x27;s lawyer, Atty. Arturo Cabides, said the decision was far from their expectation.&quot;We were expecting an acquittal...Marines never received these firearms. &#x27;Yung mga firearms nakasulat na for the Marines kasi nagrequisition ang Marines pero it was released by some other person but was delivered to a different address, not the Marines,&quot; Cabides said.The convicted individuals will file a motion for reconsideration before the Sandiganbayan, and are also planning to appeal to the Supreme Court.

MANILA - The Sandiganbayan has found former Philippine Marines Col. Cesar Dela Peña and ex-Brigadier General Percival Subala guilty of illegal disposition of firearms after allegedly smuggling high-powered firearms in 2000.

MANILA - The Sandiganbayan has found former Philippine Marines Col. Cesar Dela Peña and ex-Brigadier General Percival Subala guilty of illegal disposition of firearms after allegedly smuggling high-powered firearms in 2000.

Sandigan convicts ex-Marine officials, 4 others for gun smuggling

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Sandigan convicts ex-Marine officials, 4 others for gun smuggling

Carolyn Bonquin,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 24, 2016 02:26 PM PHT

|

Updated Feb 24, 2016 02:57 PM PHT

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SANDIGANBAYAN

firearms

gun smuggling

philippine marines

Roland Jurado

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