Southern Luzon exec tops BIR shootfest

MANILA, Philippines - Southern Luzon’s Jose Gil Belen emerged overall winner in the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s second RGCI (Revenues Gun Club Inc.) shootfest at the QCPD firing range in Camp Karingal, QC recently.

Belen posted the highest score among all RGCI members and placed second in the Man vs Man Steel Challenge featuring the event’s top 16 shooters, losing only to Mindanao’s Jaime Roldan in the finals.

Rhodora Alvarez of NCR was the top scorer in the ladies’ division. She also ruled the Lady vs Lady Steel Challenge competition, beating Northern Luzon’s Nerissa Agraam.

NCR topped the team event, besting Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. NCR also topped the Team vs Team Steel.

Other winners were RGCI president Tom Rosales of NCR in executive category, Roldan in the junior executive and Belen in the group supervisors/revenue officers division.

Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares and national champion Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla fired the ceremonial shots in the event sanctioned as a Level 1 match by the Philippine Practical Shooting Association and competed in by 80 RGCI participants and guests, including veteran actor Eddie Garcia.

In her message to the participants, Henares reminded the revenuers to observe safe gun-handling practices and responsible gun-ownership.  She likewise told them to enjoy the competition while reminding them of the more important task of collecting taxes for nation-building.

She also made impression with her precision shooting skills in Stage III of the five-level event.

Others who joined the ceremonial shots were Garcia, Rosales, Gen. Larry Lapuz and RR 11-Iloilo City Regional Director Romulo Aguila Jr.

Winners in the other events were Jose Gil Belen, SL, Standard, Stage 3 and Stage 5; Noel Marcellano, NCR, Classic; Lauro Abrahan III, NCR, Production; Nicanor Ventura, NL, Stage 1; and Jaime Roldan, Mindanao, Stage 2 and Stage 4.

RGCI is set to stage another shootfest in November.