Garbo moves to revoke Paolo’s gun license

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office-7 director Marcelo Garbo Jr. signed and approved yesterday the recommendation of the cancellation of the gun licenses of Pablo “Paolo” Garcia III, Tonyson Lee and Jose Maria Primitivo Cal.

According to the recommendation, Garcia has seven firearms registered at the Firearms Explosives Unit, Lee has four and Cal three.

Supt. Rex Derilo, chief of Firearms Explosives and Security Guard Agencies Supervisory Section  — to which FEU belongs — refused to specify the firearms owned by Garcia and his companions.

“Basta naa’y high-powered and low-powered firearms,” Derilo said.

The three are also facing direct assault charges after they were allegedly caught on a TV hitting Insp. Alvino Enguito during the tension at the Provincial Capitol when the Department of Interior and Local Government served the order against suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Enguito, team leader of Regional Public Safety Battalion augmented at the Capitol, dismantled three tents used by Gwen’s supporters as a shelter.

Garbo believes PNP Director Allan Purisima will approve his recommendation.

“I believed that 90 percent Purisima would disapprove the license and the PTCFOR of Paulo and that I will send my recommendation and wait for the approval,” he said, referring to their permit to carry firearms outside residence.

If the recommendation is approved; Garcia, Lee, and Cal can be considered in possession of unlicensed firearms.

Meanwhile, Byron Garcia, younger brother of the suspended governor is now subject for counter-intelligence profiling, or background check, after Byron challenged Garbo to a fistfight.

“We will deal with him just like what happened to his nephew and two others, he will be the next,” Garbo said.

Garbo directed his staff to come up with appropriate action against Byron.

“Anything which I perceive a threat to the organization is subject for intelligence profiling,” Garbo said.

When asked for his message to Byron, Garbo only called him to always follow the rule of law.

Meanwhile, Christina Frasco, daughter and lawyer of the suspended governor, said Garbo is showing his bias in his treatment of Paulo as a “troublemaker and a convict” when there was no case against him involving his guns.

She also said Garbo is making “unbelievable and incredible” statements that may endanger the lives of Paulo, his friends and their family.

If anything happens to them, they only have Garbo to blame, she added.  — with AJ de la Torre-Orong/BRP (FREEMAN)