ILOILO City – Director General Oscar Albayalde of the Philippine National Police (PNP) cancelled all gun permits and licenses of Cong. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. (1st District, Iloilo) and those of his father, Guimbal, Iloilo’s Mayor Oscar Garin Sr.
The cancellation of the Garins’ Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) and License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) took effect yesterday.
“This is an administrative action in relation to a criminal case involving the use of firearms,” said Albayalde.
Under Republic Act (RA) 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), the PNP is the regulatory agency for firearms ownership and possession.
“Our firearms information database indicate that Cong. Richard Garin is the registered owner of 11 firearms, three of which have expired licenses, while Mayor Oscar Garin is the registered owner of eight firearms, five of which also have expired licenses,” said Albayalde.
The Garins would be duly notified of the administrative sanction and will be directed to immediately surrender all their registered firearms to the PNP.
Owning and carrying firearms is a privilege pursuant to RA 10591, stressed Albayalde.
Under Section 39 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10591, the Chief PNP or his authorized representative may revoke, cancel or suspend a firearms license or permit on the grounds of commission of a crime or offense involving firearms.
The revocation of the Garins’ PTCFOR and LTOPF has effectively made the Garin father and son ineligible to own and possess guns, said Albayalde.
The Garins are respondents in a criminal complaint filed yesterday by Police Officer 3 Federico Macaya Jr. of the Guimbal police station. The complaint was for assault upon a person in authority, grave coercion, grave threats, physical injuries, slander by deeds, serious illegal detention, and alarm and scandal.
Macaya claimed he was handcuffed, manhandled and threatened at gunpoint before dawn on Dec. 26 outside the municipal hall of Guimbal.
“I cannot in conscience let this pass without justice. I am directing the PNP Legal Service to provide legal assistance to Police Officer 3 Macaya in his complaint and possible countercharges by the respondents,” said Albayalde. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
