National Police chief Ricardo Marquez has ordered the suspension of Firearms and Explosives Office director Elmo Sarona and 14 of his subordinates over an alleged gun-permit racket.
Marquez said that Sarona and the others were ordered relieved based on the recommendation of PNP-CIDG director Victor Deona pending the results of an investigation on their alleged “P15,000 package deal racket” where every applicant who wants to have a “License to Own and Possess Firearms” is charged that much.
The other relieved police officers were Senior Inspector Edward Onate, Senior Police Officer 2 Darwin Miguel, SPO1 Edward Bondoc, PO3 Ferdinand Sapla, PO3 Alberto Dominong Jr., PO3 Ben Ferel, PO3 Joan Liza Young, PO3 Roy del Rosario, PO3 Rodel Crisostomo, PO3 Emmanuel Cajulao and PO3 Bernard Catungal.
FEO civilian employees Audita Cabbab, Emelia Lorenzo and Edith Famillaran were also reassigned to the Office of the Director of the Civil Security Group along with the police officers.
Marquez ordered the CIDG-AFCCU to have full access to FEO records to determine the extent of the racket.
In his report to Marquez, Deona said the racket at the PNP-FEO was discovered by agents of the PNP Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crime Unit.
Deona said the agents were able to obtain in November last year copies of LTOPF without submitting documentary requirements for a package deal of P15,000.
Some of the spurious documents were LTOPF application forms being processed by some gun dealerships. Because of this, Deona has also recommended to Marquez the filing of criminal charges for falsification of official documents against 12 persons.
They are identified as Romeo Paul Taruc, John Roel Cruz and Ronnello Maningding Taruc, officers of Reloader Guns and Ammo Trading; and nine others whose names appeared on the spurious certificates: Nelson Caballa, Renato Docin, Alvin Chua, Edgar Derecho, Jayken Celi, Gabriel Estrella, Reginald Lee, Noel Susano and Michael Angelo Desquitado.
At the Office of the Ombudsman, a Quezon City prosecutor from government service was dismissed for grave misconduct by accepting bribe money from a complainant.
Assistant Prosecutor Edgar Navales was also meted the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s salary for one year.
The Ombudsman directed the filing of an information for direct bribery against Navales before the Sandiganbayan. With Rio Araja
