Albayalde orders cancellation of Garins’ permit to carry, own firearms

FILE: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

After they were reportedly mauling a police officer, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered the cancellation of gun licenses of Guimbal, Iloilo Mayor Oscar Garin and his son, Iloilo First District Representative Richard Garin, asking the two to surrender their registered firearms.

“Effective today, I have ordered the cancellation of all Permits to Carry Firearms outside of Residence (PTCFOR) and License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) issued by the PNP in favor of Iloilo 1st District Rep. Richard Garin and incumbent Mayor Oscar Garin of Guimbal, Iloilo as an administrative action to their involvement in a criminal case involving the use of firearms,” Albayalde announced on Thursday, December 27.

According to a police report, the two Garins allegedly mauled Police Officer 3 (PO3) Federico Macaya of Guimbal Police Station at the town plaza on Wednesday, December 26.

Macaya was allegedly summoned by the father-and-son tandem before he was disarmed, handcuffed, and held at gunpoint.

The mayor and the lawmaker, Albayalde said, will be “duly notified of this administrative sanction to their privilege to own and possess firearms pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 10591, and will be commanded to immediately turn-in all their registered firearms to the PNP.”

Under RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, the police force serves as the regulatory agency for ownership and possession of firearms.

Citing Section 39 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this law, the top cop said it is either him or his authorized representative who can “revoke, cancel, or suspend a firearms license or permit on the grounds of commission of a crime or offense involving firearms.”

The PNP chief noted that the lawmaker owns 11 firearms, three of which have expired licenses. The mayor, on the other hand, owns eight firearms, but five of those also have expired licenses.

“All these firearms are now subject to confiscation upon revocation of their License to Own and Possess Firearms, effectively making them ineligible to own and possess guns,” Albayalde said.

He added that the two public officials will have to face a criminal complaint filed by the cop they allegedly mauled for physical injuries, assault upon a person in authority, alarm and scandal, and grave coercion and grave threats.

As an ex-officio member of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), Albayalde further said he has endorsed to the Napolcom en banc the recommendation of Western Visayas police regional director, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao to strip Mayor Garin of his power over the local police.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año to file charges against the two Garins, stressing that even if the policeman did something wrong, it cannot be a reason for them to maul him.

Iloilo First District Representative Garin already issued an apology over the incident, explaining that his action was just a “mere display of extreme frustration” on a policeman whom he perceived committed a “great disservice to the people of Guimbal.”