PNP officer relieved for issuing fraudulent firearm licenses

The head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) was ordered relieved from his post, along with 14 of his subordinates over alleged irregularities in the processing of License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF).

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ricardo Marquez approved the administrative relief of Chief Supt. Elmo Francis D. Sarona, the FEO chief, while investigation on the alleged irregularities was on-going.

Marquez has designated Sr. Supt. Cesar Hawthorne R. Binag as FEO officer-in-charge.

Aside from Sarona, also relieved from FEO and reassigned to the Office of the Director, Civil Security Group (CSG) were Sr. Insp. Edward Oñate, SPO2 Darwin G. Miguel, SPO1 Edward R. Bondoc, PO3 Ferdinand S. Sapla, PO3 Alberto N. Dominong Jr., PO3 Ben P. Ferel, PO3 Joan Liza Z. Young, PO3 Roy Del Rosario, PO3 Rodel B. Crisostomo, PO3 Emmanuel D. Cajulao, PO3 Bernard C. Catungal, NUP Audita B. Cabbab, NUP Emelia L. Lorenzo, and non-uniformed personnel Edith T. Famillaran.

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben M. Mayor stressed that the relief was a procedural administrative action to prevent these personnel from influencing the outcome of the investigation.

He said the PNP chief approved their administrative relief upon the recommendation of P/Director Victor P. Deona, chief, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The investigation stemmed from two separate sting operations by the CIDG Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit (AFCCU) in November 2015.

During the said operations, the undercover CIDG-AFCCU agents were able to obtain LTOPF certificates even without the documentary requirements for a package fee of 15,000.

Mayor said the PNP chief has also approved the recommendation of Deona to grant CIDG-AFCCU full access to FEO records to determine the extent of the irregularities and identify other fraudulent entries made into the LTOPF database.