2 cops charged for failing to return guns

MANILA, Philippines - Two police officers were charged before the Quezon City regional trial court for failing to return the service firearms issued to them while they were in active duty.

In separate resolutions released yesterday, Assistant City Prosecutors Nilo Peñaflor and Maria Raisa Marino-Geronimo recommended the filing of malversation charges against former Quezon City Police District (QCPD) members Senior Police Officer 1 Manolo Magtibay and Police Officer 3 Antonio Torrente.

The cases stemmed from the complaint of QCPD supply officer Rosanna dela Cruz, who claimed that Magtibay and Torrente failed to return their respective service firearms despite repeated demands.

In the complaint, Dela Cruz said Magtibay failed to return the .45 caliber Remington pistol issued to him after he was transferred to another unit.

But in his counter-affidavit, Magtibay denied having misappropriated the said firearm since it is presently in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which arrested him in connection with a rape case filed before another court.

But in his two-page resolution, Peñaflor found probable cause to indict Magtibay in court since his defense that the subject firearm is with the NBI “cannot be given due course it being an entirely self-serving declaration.”

In the case of respondent Torrente, the complaint said he failed to return the .45 caliber  Colt pistol that he was issued when he was suspended from service in 2011.

During the preliminary investigation of his case, Torrente failed to appear and submit his counter-affidavit despite due notice.