Six Armed Men Arrested in Pagadian City Amid Police Operation as High-Powered Firearms Seized

At around 11:00 PM, operatives from the 1st Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st ZSPMFC), with support from the 55th Special Action Company, acted on an intelligence report involving armed individuals onboard a grey Mitsubishi Strada with no license plates. Upon interception, the suspects reportedly defied police instructions and refused to cooperate, prompting reinforcement from the Pagadian City Police Station (PCPS).

By 3:45 AM, after hours of negotiation, the suspects voluntarily exited the vehicle and were immediately placed under arrest. A plain view search of the vehicle led to the discovery of high-powered firearms, ammunition, and tactical gear. Recovered from the vehicle were five Colt MKIV caliber .45 pistols, one Bushmaster rifle, six pistol magazines, four rifle magazines, forty-one rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, seventy-nine rounds of 5.56 caliber ammunition, one handheld radio, one black bag, and the grey Mitsubishi Strada pickup.

The arrested suspects, identified as residents of Zamboanga del Sur and Lanao del Norte, were turned over to the Pagadian City Police Station for proper documentation and filing of charges.

Authorities confirmed that the successful arrest is part of the intensified anti-criminality campaign of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) and Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9), aimed at ensuring public safety and the enforcement of election-related laws.