5 cops to explain 900 missing rifles today

MANILA, Philippines - The five Philippine National Police (PNP) officials ordered investigated by President Aquino for 900 missing rifles have until today to submit their counter-affidavits.

However, even without explanations from these officials, probers from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) are bent on filing criminal and administrative charges against Director Gil Meneses of the PNP Civil Security Group, Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta of Police Regional Office 3, Chief Superintendent Tom Rentoy of the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, Senior Superintendent Regie Catiis of the Directorate for Comptrollership and Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto Jr.

“We will wait for their counter-affidavits before filing the appropriate charges against them,” a CIDG official said. “Should they fail to submit their side on the issue, we will be basing our charges on the consolidated data from the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO).”

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong ordered the five officials to submit their counter-affidavits on the case last Feb. 23 but their lawyer asked for a one-week extension.

Earlier, the five police officials claimed all transactions they entered into regarding the missing 900 AK-47 and Armalite rifles are aboveboard.

Meneses and Petrasanta used to be former directors of the FEO while Catiis and Acierto were former chiefs of the FEO’s licensing division.

The CIDG chief said they are not singling out Petrasanta in their investigation of the missing firearms. Petrasanta is reportedly being groomed to replace PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo, head of the CIDG’s National Capital Region (NCR) office, said the case against the five police officials was triggered by Purisima’s order to take an inventory of all firearms in the country.

Investigators found that the high-powered firearms were purchased using fictitious names and addresses, he said, adding that some of those involved in the anomalous transactions are security agencies and mining firms.