THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three individuals, including a police officer, for illegally selling high explosives used by unlicensed miners in Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley. The suspects were identified as Feliz P. Aleria and Mark A. Aleria, who were arrested in an entrapment operation in Tagum City, and Police Officer 2 Glenn O. Magalso, who was nabbed in a separate operation after constant calls to the two others asking for the proceeds of the explosives sale. Ferdinand M. Lavin, Forensic Investigation Service deputy director, said the explosives were also reportedly being sold to insurgent groups, including the New People’s Army and the Abu Sayyaf Group. “There is, I believe, an ongoing investigation being conducted… to further identify the other culprits in the wide-scale distribution and sale of explosives. Remember that these explosives were made available not only to miners… but we have information that this has reached the hands also of the insurgents,” he said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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