Ombudsman to probe 13 police officials over missing AK-47s

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted 13 Philippine National Police officials in connection with the over 1,000 missing high-powered AK-47 assault rifles allegedly sold to the members of the New People's Army (NPA).

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales formed on Thursday a five-lawyer special panel to conduct the preliminary investigaion and administrative adjudication of the cases.

Facing 19 counts of falsification and 23 counts of graft charges are Directors Gil Meneses and Napoleon Estilles; Chief Superintendents Raul Petrasanta, Tomas Rentoy III and Regino Catiis; Senior Superintendents Eduardo Acierto and Allan Parreno; Superintendent Nelson Bautista; Chief Inspectors Ricky Sumalde, Ricardo Zapata Jr., and Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento; Senior Police Officers 1 Eric Tan, and Randy de Sesto, and three non-uniformed personnel of the PNP -Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO).

Also facing similar criminals charges are Isidro Lozada of the Caraga Security Agency and representatives of the gun supplier, Twin Pines Inc.

Aside from the criminal raps, the PNP-FEO officials are also charged with grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

The cases stemmed from the complaint of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices which initiated a motu proprio case buildup based on an article in the Philippine Star last June 6.

Based on te complaint, the PNP-FEO issued firearms licenses to four private security agencies and a mining company , which all used "falsified and incomplete documentary requirements."

Despite the irregularities, the PNP-FEO issued 1,004 licensed firearms to Caraga Security agency and Twin Pines Inc., the complaint added.

During investigation, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) found out that Caraga Security Agency' license to operate had expired Sept. 30, 2012.

The CIDG also managed to match the serial  numbers of the licensed AK 47 assault rifles issued  to the security agencies and mining firm to the firearms recovered from encounters with members of the NPA rebels in the Caraga and Western Mindanao regions.