Gamara was arrested by the Regional Special Operations Unit of the PNP’s National Capital Region Office, the Philippine Army and the army’s intelligence agents on March 20, 2019 in Imus, Cavite. Arrested  with him was a former priest and well-known leader of the anti-dictatorship struggle,, Arturo Joseph Balagat. His arrest was based on a search warrant issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos Villavert, who has been branded by human rights group as a “warrant factory” for issuing search warrants that  resulted in the arrest, detention and even killing of activists. The actual search of Gamara’s supposed “safehouse” in Marikina was conducted nine (9) days after he was arrested. According to the report released by the police, they seized two hand grenades, a pistol, electronic devices, and documents containing “subversive information” in Gamara’s safehouse. Gamara  was charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, while Balagat was released “for further investigation.” 

Gamara was one of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants who were released from detention in August 2016 when peace negotiations between the NDFP and the Philippine government resumed in Europe. He is also a long-time labor organizer in Metro Manila.  

On August 3, 2022, the Marikina Regional Trial Court Branch 193 junked one count of illegal  possession of firearms and one count of illegal possession of explosives against Gamara in a decision penned by Judge Alice Gutierrez.  

Gamara remains detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, as he continues to face multiple trumped-up charges of illegal  possession of firearms and explosives filed before the Imus RTC, kidnapping with murder filed before the Taguig RTC Branch 266 and murder filed before the Taguig RTC.