Rep. Garin surrenders two more firearms to police

Iloilo Representative Richard Garin, who is facing charges for mauling a policeman last month, has turned over his two remaining firearms to the police.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Tuesday, Senior Superintendent Dindo Reyes, chief of San Juan City Police, said a member of Rep. Garin's staff returned a 5.56 mm armalite and .22 caliber pistol to the police on Tuesday morning, January 1.

“Bale ito na lang po ang di naisusuko pa sa pulisya. Naisuko na po nila sa PNP Chief, at ito [dalawang baril na isinuko] ay may lisensiya ito,” Reyes said.

Garin and his father, Guimbal, Iloilo City Mayor Oscar Garin, were stripped of their licenses to own firearms after they assaulted Police Officer 3 Federico Macaya, who is assigned at the Guimbal Municipal Police Station.

Rep. Garin said they resorted to such action out of frustration after Macaya allegedly asked a victim to withdraw the complaint against a person accused of hurting a child during the celebration of "Disyembre sa Guimbal" last December 22.

Rep. Garin earlier turned over nine of his 11 firearms to the PNP after it stripped them of their permit to carry as a result of their actions against Macaya.

“Wala na po silang karapatang magkaroon ng kahit anong firearm, either short or long firesarms,” Reyes said.

Aside from the two firearms, Garin's staff member also turned over four magazines containing at least 100 bullets for the armalite, two magazines for the caliber 22 pistol and 16 pieces of live ammunition.

Under Section 39 of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation law, a firearms license or permit “may be revoked, canceled, or suspended on the grounds of a commission of a crime or offense involving firearms.”

Rep. Garin is the husband of former Iloilo lawmaker and ex-Health Secretary Janette Garin. —Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA News