Pilot WNI Anton Gobay arrested in the Philippines for wanting to smuggle illegal firearms (senpi) into Papua. The National Police revealed that Anton was a sympathizer of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).
The National Police have coordinated through the police attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Manila regarding the arrest. The police also said the arrests took place at a location which is about 2 hours by air from Manila.
Anton was arrested on suspicion of buying illegal firearms from someone using an alias in the Danao City area, Cebu Province, Philippines. Anton Gobay owned 10 long-barreled guns and 2 short-barreled guns without ammunition.
The gun that Anton bought was worth 50 thousand pesos without ammunition. The price of 50 thousand pesos is for the purchase of one M4 rifle.
Kadiv Inter-Division of Police Inspector General Krishna Murti conveyed that the National Police team had arrived in Manila, Philippines. The National Police team met with the Philippine National Police (Phillipines National Police) to cooperate in handling Anton who is currently being detained in the Sarangan Province area.
Chronology of the Arrest of Anton Gobay
Anton Gobay initially flew to the Philippines via Soekarno-Hatta Airport in September 2022. Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo said Anton flew to Ninoy International Airport, Philippines, but transited in Malaysia first.
Upon arriving in the Philippines, continued Dedi, Anton Gobay went straight to Danao City via the Leite route in December 2022 to buy senpi.
“Then proceed by using a van type car to Gensan with the final destination of Maitum, which is the place of departure for Indonesia,” Dedi told reporters, Friday (13/1/2023).
Dedi said Anton had previously conducted a survey of the route. However, Anton was finally arrested by the Philippine police on Saturday (7/1).
“AG chose the Davao City route because it was not equipped with X-ray equipment,” he said.
Anton admitted that he brought the gun from Danao City to Gensan alone. But when he arrives in Gensan, he will meet three people he knows from Facebook to take him to Maitum.
“Anton Gobay admitted that he knew beforehand that the people at Danao had the ability to produce, assemble and modify firearms, and sell them if an agreed price was offered according to the type of weapon,” he said.
Furthermore, Dedi said that when dealing with firearms, Anton only looked at the samples and then made the payment. He accepted the gun that was in the suitcase without checking again.
