MANILA, Philippines - At least 19 policemen, including senior police, are likely to be held accountable for the more than 1,000 missing AK-47 and M16 rifles, which President Aquino ordered investigated last January.
Director Benjamin Magalong, head of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said authorities traced the missing firearms to communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Mindanao.
“As I mentioned during the committee hearing on Wednesday (in the House of Representatives), all the firearms, more than 1,004, actually ended up in the hands of the New People’s Army,†said Magalong in a press conference yesterday in Camp Crame.
Of the 19 policemen, Magalong named only five of them.
They were Chief Superintendent Regino Catiis, currently executive officer of the Directorate for Comptrollership; Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, the incumbent regional director of Central Luzon; Directors Gil Meneses and Napoleon Estilles who are both on non-duty status in preparation for their mandatory retirement, and retired Chief Superintendent Tomas Rentoy III.
Meneses headed the Civil Security Group, while Estilles and Petrasanta were former chiefs of the Firearms and Explosives Office. Catiis and Acierto headed the FEO’s Firearms Licensing Division.
The CIDG chief said the policemen could be held liable for unlawful sale of firearms or ammunition as provided for in Section 1 of Republic Act 8294.
Magalong said the police officials implicated claimed that the licensing went through the normal process.
Of the police officers involved, only Estilles responded when asked for comment.
Estilles said, “The allegations are mere fabrication bereft of evidence.†– With Non Alquitran