13 ranking PNP officers to face Ombudsman probe over missing rifles

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the conduct of preliminary investigation against 13 police officers and three civilians in connection with the missing high-powered firearms that allegedly ended up in the hands of communist rebels in Mindanao.

In a statement released Thursday, the Ombudsman said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has created a five-lawyer special panel to conduct the preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication against the Philippine National Police's ranking officials.

The statement said the Ombudsman's Field Investigative Office filed charges for 19 counts of falsification, 23 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, 23 counts of violation of Section 3(j) of RA 3019, and violation of RA 5487 or Private Security Agency Law against the following officials of the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO):

- P/Dir. Gil Meneses,
- P/Dir. Napoleon Estilles,
- P/CSupt. Raul Petrasanta,
- P/CSupt. Tomas Rentoy II,
- P/CSupt. Regino Catiis,
- P/SSupt. Eduardo Acierto,
- P/SSupt. Allan Parreno,
- P/Supt. Nelson Bautista,
- P/CInsp. Ricky Sumalde,
- P/CInsp. Ricardo Zapata Jr.,
- P/CInsp. Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento,
- SPO1 Eric Tan,
- SPO1 Randy De Sesto

Three non-uniformed personnel, whom the Ombudsman did not identify, along with Caraga Security Agency's Isidro Lozada, and representatives of gun supplier Twin Pines, Inc., were also among those charged, it added.

Aside from criminal charges, they are also facing administrative charges for grave misconduct and serious dishonestly, noting that field investigators have asked the Ombudsman to suspend them pending administrative adjudication.

The Ombudsman said the charges stemmed from an investigative report of the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which revealed that four private security agencies and a mining company were issued firearm licenses by the PNP-FEO using falsified and incomplete documentary requirements.

It noted that at least 1,004 licensed firearms were released "through the submission of incomplete and/or falsified applications" submitted by Lozada.

Lozada then purchased the firearms — AK-47 and Armalite rifles — from Twin Pines, Inc., "which, in turn, facilitated and submitted the falsified and/or incomplete license applications of Lozada to the PNP-FEO," the statement said.

"Despite irregularities in the applications, licenses were processed and approved by PNP-FEO officials and personnel," it added.

After which, it noted that the CIDG found that firearms matching the serial numbers of the licensed firearms issued to the security agencies and mining company were recovered from encounters between the military and the New People's Army in the Caraga and Western Mindanao regions.

Last March, the PNP announced that it is investigating 10 police officers implicated in the alleged irregularity.

In a report last June, PNP-CIDG Director Benjamin Magalong quoted Lozada as saying he was forced by the NPA to facilitate the registration and delivery of guns.

Lozada, who bought the guns at P52,000 per piece, allegedly said the NPA would give him money for the purchase and licensing expenses of the firearms.

In the licensing and delivery of guns, Lozada claimed that he needed those firearms for his security guards manning mining firms in eastern Mindanao.

GMA News Online has tried but failed to reach PNP for a comment. —Amanda Fernandez/KBK, GMA News