Ombudsman files graft charges vs. PNP officials in AK-47 scam

Published October 21, 2015 11:16am

(Updated 5:05 p.m.) The Office of the Ombudsman has formally filed graft cases against five high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and 10 other individuals including former Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) assistant chief Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta.

The graft raps are in connection with the alleged the anomalous issuance of firearms licenses for high-powered AK47 rifles from August 2011 to April 2013.

In a 39-page order, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales caused the filing of multiple counts of violating Section 3e of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the following officials:

P/Dir. Gil Meneses of the Civil Security Group
P/Dir. Napoleon Estilles of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO)
P/CSupt. Raul Petrasanta
P/CSupt. Tomas Rentoy III
P/CSupt. Regino Catiis
P/SSupt. Eduardo Acierto
P/SSupt. Allan Parreño
P/Supt. Nelson Bautista
P/CInsp. Ricardo Zapata, Jr.
P/CInsp Ricky Sumalde
SPO1 Eric Tan
SPO1 Randy De Sesto
Non-uniformed Personnel (NUP) Nora Pirote
Non-uniformed Personnel (NUP) Sol Bargan
Isidro Lozada of Caraga Security Agency (Caraga).

Petrasanta and Estilles also face charges for knowingly approving the grant of the license and permit for the high-powered rifles.

Section 3 (e) of R.A. No. 3019 prohibits public officials from causing any undue injury to any party, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.

The Ombudsman said the police officials were found to have conspired in facilitating, processing and approving the applications for firearm licenses of Caraga, Isla Security Agency (Isla), Claver Mineral Development Corporation and JTC Mineral Mining Corporation despite incomplete or falsified applications and supporting documents.

Most of the firearms, she said, were found to have been released immediately even when some of the requests for their withdrawal from storage were not signed by the requester.

Morales said “the public respondents failed to act in accordance with their respective duties in processing the questioned firearms license applications” and “that their acts/and or omissions demonstrate that they are guilty of gross inexcusable negligence and evident bad faith.”

Among the irregularities discovered by the Ombudsman’s investigators are:

the issuance of firearms licenses to Caraga despite an expired license to operate;
the processing of Caraga’s applications without verifying the number of firearms already issued to it, which resulted in the issuance of licenses beyond the limit allowed by regulation;
recommendations for approval of the firearm licenses without proper verification and checking;
Meneses’ handwritten notations to expedite processing; and
the absence of verification of the identity and capacity of Isla to purchase high-powered firearms.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of charges against the following for lack of probable cause:
P/CInsp. Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento
NUP Enrique Dela Cruz, and
Twin Pines representatives, namely: Servando Topacio, Marie Ann Topacio, Alexandria Topacio, Hagen Alexander Topacio, Thelma Castillejos, Sherry Lyn Fetalino and Lourdes Logronio.

As of posting time, GMA News Online is contacting the Philippine National Police for comment. —Xianne Arcangel and Elizabeth Marcelo/KG/NB, GMA News

Tags: ak47rifle, philippinenationalpolice, ombudsman