Palace to probe adviser's gun fiasco

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang vowed yesterday to look into an incident involving two of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas’ security escorts, who reportedly went for a joyride using their boss’ car, figured in a collision, and were found with at least one assault rifle in their possession.

Lawmakers and gun advocates have called for Llamas to be held responsible and for the police to file appropriate charges against Llamas and Office of the Political Adviser (OPA) administrative and support staff Joey Tecson and John Alarcon.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said over radio station dzRB that they will ask the OPA if the guns are licensed so Tecson and Alarcon can carry it.

“Secretary Llamas is holding a very sensitive position and that requires a certain level of security,” he said, adding that Llamas’ position is “very indispensable” to the Aquino administration.

Lacierda said they will still have to determine whether Tecson was intoxicated at the time he was driving Llamas’ Mitsubishi Montero at around 2:10 a.m. Friday and if security escorts can carry a long firearm.

“We will ask for a report on that. I am sure there is a police report on that,” he said.

The presidential spokesman vowed there would be no cover-up and no sacred cows in the investigation. “What I know is that these firearms are licensed. There should be no concern on the legality of these firearms,” Lacierda said.

However, he said “there was something, something there” when asked why the rifle found underneath the driver’s seat of the Montero was taken by two men who arrived at the scene minutes after the accident along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

During Lacierda’s interview over dzRB, he was also informed that a radio reporter saw the Montero going against the flow of traffic in San Juan.

“We will call the attention of Secretary Llamas and the OPA about it,” he said.

Gun group seeks charges vs Llamas

The Peaceful and Responsible Owners of Guns (Progun) yesterday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to file the necessary charges against Llamas and his bodyguards.

According to the Quezon City police, they could not immediately file charges of illegal possession of a firearm against Tecson, Alarcon and the two security personnel who took the rifle as the responding policemen have not seen the firearm for themselves. The rifle was taken before the policemen arrived at the scene.

Progun secretary general Ernesto Tabujara said even though police officers was not able to see the AK-47 rifle inside Llamas’s sport utility vehicle (with the license plates 6*OPA), Tecson and Alarcon  as well as the two men who took the rifle  could be charged with illegal possession of a firearm, based on circumstantial evidence.

Llamas, in a statement sent by his office, admitted that the rifle is licensed in his name and that he has a permit to carry for it. Llamas is currently in Switzerland.

OPA axes personnel for joyride

The OPA, in a statement, said Tecson and Alarcon have already been dismissed. According to the OPA, it “deeply regrets this unfortunate incident and has already initiated the process to effect the immediate dismissal from the service of these two staff members.”

According to the OPA’s statement, Llamas instructed Tecson and Alarcon to use the sport utility vehicle to check on his house in his absence. But the two, according to the OPA, proceeded to use the vehicle “for their own personal purposes without authorization and against explicit office policies.”

“Llamas gave explicit instructions before departing for abroad that the firearm be unloaded from the vehicle and safely secured, but apparently, the two staff members neglected to comply with these instructions,” the OPA said in its statement.

The OPA said Alarcon sent a text message to Llamas’ security detail, who secured the rifle and the adviser’s belongings.

Tabujara said a firearm is only considered as legally permitted outside the residence of the registered owner if the registered owner is also in the same vicinity, “especially if it is a high-powered weapon.”

Tabujara also urged the PNP to cite Llamas for negligence as a registered gun owner and have his license and permit to carry revoked.

Lawmakers hit adviser

Lawmakers said yesterday Llamas should still be held accountable for the actions of his reportedly drunk bodyguard.

Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas said Llamas should have left the rifle “at home and kept them under lock and key, as what any responsible and careful gun owner should have done.”

He also questioned why the rifle was taken away by Llamas’ security personnel. “Were they sanitizing the scene of the crime? That’s not allowed under the law and the investigators should have been given control of the crime scene.”

An administration lawmaker, who refused to be identified, said it was possible that Llamas’ subordinates see him “committing some abuses, so they become abusive too.”

 With Paolo Romero