Police Reveal Traces of Anton Gobay Who Purchased Dozens of Illegal Guns from Danao City

Screenshots of the investigation team of the National Police Headquarters examining the firearms purchased by Anton Gobay from Danao City, Philippines which were stored in a suitcase, Videp Public Relations of the National Police (ANTARA/HO-Division of Public Relations of the Police)

JAKARTA - The collaboration between the Indonesian National Police and the Philippine National Police revealed the confession of Anton Gobay, an Indonesian citizen (WNI) who sold firearms from Danao City, Philippines to Papua, Indonesia.

"AG (Anton Gobay)'s goal is to buy firearms, which is a business aspect because firearms sales are very promising in Papua", said Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo, as reported by Antara, Friday, January 13.

Dedi explained Anton Gobay's confession that if firearms purchased from Danao City manage to enter Papua, they will be sold to whoever can afford them at the highest price.

Anton Gobay knows that people in Danao City have the ability to produce, assemble and modify firearms, and sell them if an agreed price has been agreed according to the type of weapon.

"When dealing with firearms, AG only looks at samples and then makes payments", said Dedi.

According to Dedi, the weapon that Anton Gobay received was already stored in a briefcase without re-checking the firearms purchased.

The results of interviews between the National Police team and the Indonesian Embassy team together with the Philippines Regional Intelligence Division, Mindanao Intelligence Task Group of Philippines Immigration (MITG), and the National Intelligence Coordination Agencies (NICA) revealed that Anton Gobay departs for the Philippines in September 2022 via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta to Ninoy International Airport, Philippines.

The flight that Anton Gobay used had transit in Malaysia. Upon arrival in the Philippines, Anton Gobay then left Manila for Danao City via the Leite route in December 2022.

"The goal is to go to Danao City to buy firearms", said Dedi.

Then, continued Dedi, Anton Gobay continued his journey using a Van type car to Gensan with the final destination of Maitum, which is the departure area for Indonesia.

Anton Gobay had previously surveyed the route. However, before heading to Maitum, AG was arrested by the RMFB on 7 January 2023.

"AG chose the Davao City route because it is not equipped with X-ray equipment", said the two-star general.

In his confession, continued Dedi, Anton Gobay admitted to bringing firearms from Danao City to Gensan alone, but when he arrived in Gensan he met three people he knew from Facebook to take him to Maitum.

Dedi said that Anton Gobay felt that as a son of Papua, he wanted to support the struggle of the Papuan people for independence. He admitted that he had attended a meeting in Papua New Guinea to discuss the West Papua movement.

Anton Gobay is also one of the founders of the Communal movement for the Vanimo region in Papua New Guinea.

"AG said that he was only a sympathizer who supports the Free Papua Organization. However, he is only a sympathizer who does not care about the position or position of the organization", said Dedi.

The National Police team ensured that Anton Gobay while in detention carried out by the Police Regional Office 12 at General Santos was in good health and that his rights as a suspect had been fulfilled by the Police.

The former Central Kalimantan Police Chief added that Anton Gobay's investigation files are planned to be handed over to the Alabel Prosecutor's Office, Sarangani Province.

"As an Indonesian citizen, AG apologizes for causing inconvenience to the Indonesian government because of the actions taken in the Philippines", said Dedi.

Dedi also said that the National Police continued to coordinate with the Philippine Police regarding the illegal weapons smuggling carried out by Anton Gobay.

"This is in the context of deepening to obtain information that can be used by the National Police to reveal the network of smuggling firearms from the Philippines to Indonesia", he said.