Members of the Manila Police District Scene of Crime Operatives examine firearms found inside an abandoned Pajero at the corner of Leon Guinto and Padre Faura streets in Manila last Tuesday. (Photo by POL BRIANA JR.)

A Mitsubishi Pajero loaded with firearms, ammunitions and a grenade was found abandoned just blocks away from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Ermita, Manila, on Tuesday night.

The Manila Police District (MPD) is investigating if the discovery of the firearms and ammunitions had something to do with Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is detained at the NBI jail, in connection with the Nov. 23 Maguindanao massacre.

A report of the Anti-Carnapping and Anti-Hijacking Section (ANCAH) said the white Mitsubishi Pajero with plate number EMS-333 was found abandoned on Leon Guinto Street between Padre Faura and Apacible Sts., in Ermita, Manila at 9:20 p.m.

Senior Inspector Randy Mata Maluyo, chief of Manila Police District – ANCAH, said the Pajero was loaded with one M-16 rifle Armalite, serial number #305135 with one magazine loaded of eight live bullets, one 12 gauge shotgun with six live cartridges and one hand grenade.

Maluyo said a police mobile patrol spotted the vehicle parked unattended with the right passenger seat door were open.

The police checked the vehicle and saw the guns inside.

An ownership verification check found out that the registered owner of the Pajero was Cesar Detera of 39 Carmilabe, Project 6, Quezon City.

The MPD is verifying if the car had been reported stolen or sold by the registered owner.

The recovered vehicle and firearms are now being subjected to MPD Scene of the Crime Office while the grenade is now in the custody of MPD-Explosive Ordnance Division.

Meanwhile, NBI officials said Wednesday they were not taking the discovery of the abandoned Pajero and firearms lightly.

Regional Director Ricardo Diaz, chief of the NBI Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and concurrent bureau spokesman, said, “We are not taking this lightly. We even increased security personnel in the vicinity of NBI.”

This developed as the bureau is preparing security plans for the possibility of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM ) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan being placed under NBI custody.

A NBI source who talked on the condition of anonymity said they have monitored that some of the other suspects in the Maguindao massacre were in Metro Manila but could not arrest them without warrants.

“It would be easier to arrest them once warrants of arrest are issued if they are indeed in Manila,” said Diaz.