PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ABSOLVED FROM LIABILITY OF OWNING 'ARSENAL'
[PHOTO - AT THE SENATE : Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former chief of the PNP , said Llamas is well within his rights to secure ample protection, even if it requires having such kind of "arsenal."]
MANILA, OCTOBER 11, 2011 (TRIBUNE) By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan and Charlie V. Manalo - ADVISER CITES THREATS, BUT GIVES OUT HOME ADDRESS, AND DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL
What's good for the opposition goose is not good for the Palace's political advising gander.
Some members of the House of Representatives yesterday expressed disgust over reports that Presidential Political Affairs Adviser Ronald Llamas has been quickly absolved by Malacañang and President Aquino from any liability over his owning a high powered VZ58V. SENATE:
The ban on firearms rule appears to have been bent by Malacañang and the Philippine National Police as all too suddenly, the PNP yesterday said that it was the security men of Llamas who are accountable and not Llamas, while also clearing Llamas by saying that the ban on high powered rifles exempts officials from governors up.
Llamas claimed that he has these high powered rifles and three handguns because of threats to his life but even as he claims of such threats, he gave out his home address and even mentioned the name of his daughter's school.
Llamas insisted that as a government official, he has the right to carry an assault rifle wherever he wishes to go despite the fact that the PNP had rejected hundreds of requests from other elective government officials who had also had rejected hundreds of requests from other elective government officials who had also asked to be given permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) if it involved high powered firearms.
Llamas said that the PNP granted him a PTCFOR for his VZ 58V (not AK 47 as reported, although the police said it was an AK 47) because of "credible threats" to his life, on which he blames those being allegedly investigated by his office and the Department of Justice for corruption, obviously alluding to former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo and former officials of her administration.
"The firearm is one of several measures adopted in the wake of information I received several months back from senior members of the intelligence community that there were credible threats to my personal safety," Llamas said.
And as a member of the Cabinet, Llamas claimed he is entitled to such privilege which is not normally accorded to other officials and even bragged that he is entitled to get a lot of bodyguards assigned by the PNP but that he opted not to avail of this perk as Aquino's chief political adviser.
"The firearm that appears in the video footage taken at the scene of the accident is duly-registered with the appropriate authorities in my name and is covered by both a valid firearms license and a permit to carry. The firearm is one of several measures adopted in the wake of information I received several months back from senior members of the intelligence community that there were credible threats to my personal safety," Llamas said in a press briefing Monday.
According to Llamas, he decided to arm himself to the teeth sometime last "April and May" after he got reports from his neighbors that several vehicles have been "suspiciously parked" near his house in Project 7, Quezon City for several days apparently conducting surveillance as he noted that the occupants would just stay in their cars.
He said that sometime in May, he had just picked up his daughter from her school at the University of the Sto. Tomas when he again noticed that he was being tailed by a Black Honda Civic which is reportedly the same with one of the vehicles casing his residence.
Llamas' claim of people casing his residence and tailing his vehicles raised eyebrows because while he appeared too conscious about his security on account of the alleged credible threat to his life, he did not mind practically giving away to the entire nation the location of his residence and the school of his daughter.
What was also found puzzling was that while he claims to be taking all the necessary precautions to protect himself from people who reportedly want to harm him, he did not even bother to replace the plate number (6 OPA) of his vehicle which practically tells everyone who sees that it belonged to him.
Apart from the VZ 58Vwhich is actually a Czechoslovakian modification of the AK 47, Llamas admitted owning four other firearms including an armalite rifle, all of which are properly covered with licenses and permits.
Llamas expressed deep regret over what he claims to be an "unfortunate incident" and had promised that his office will extend full cooperation and support to any legal and judicial processes that may arise as a result of the police investigation.
"I would like to emphasize and reiterate that there has been no attempt by anyone to withhold information about the incident either from the police, the media, or the public or to allow those found responsible to escape culpability for their actions. Neither I nor my office will ask for a countenance special treatment in this regard. We remain fully committed to the principles of transparency and public accountability that the President has defined this administration by, "he said.
Llamas added he had already ordered the dismissal of his two staff, Joey Valderama Tecson and John Brilliant Alarcon, who were using his vehicle when it figured in an accident as he claimed that few hours before his vehicle figured in an accident, the two passed by his house to ensure it was secure.
"Unfortunately, after doing so, they proceeded to use the vehicle for personal purposes without authorization and against explicit office policies. I have already ordered both staff members dismissed. The formal process for their dismissal has already been initiated upon my instructions, and is currently underway," Llamas said, adding that he regretted this incident that involved two of his staff members in a vehicular accident where police discovered a high-powered firearm inside Llamas' SUV.
Reports said that his staff members refused to hand over the rifle to the police, claiming that this was registered.
Llamas said he has ordered an internal investigation by the Office of the Political Adviser, of which he is the head, is underway.
Yet he claimed there is no attempt of a cover-up, despite the fact that his first statement from Geneva, as claimed by the presidential spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said that the firearms were all registered and that everything was legal and in order.
Deputy Minority Leader, Zambales Rep. Milagros "Mitos" Magsaysay said Llamas' decision to fire members of his staff who were caught in possession of the firearm does not mean he (Llamas) is innocent.
An administration congressman, requesting anonymity also chided the PNP for double standard, for upholding Llamas' defense that the firearm was covered with the necessary permit to carry (PTC) and license.
"PTCs issued to congressmen, governors and mayors have been canceled two years ago. Compared to Llamas, we need them more to protect ourselves against threats to our lives," said the lawmaker.
Lawyer Raul Lambino, counsel for the former president said Llamas and his men should be treated the same way the police would treat ordinary persons caught in similar situation.
Lambino noted that no investigation was immediately conducted by the Aquino government when the incident happened three days ago.
"When the Arroyo family is alleged to be involved, there is already announcements of jail and there would already be charges filed. But when the ones involved are the kakampi, kabarilan and Kaklase (KKK) of the president, there is instant absolution," he said.
Magsaysay said Llamas cannot evade investigation considering that the gun was found in his car.
Magsaysay said the presidential adviser must to explain the origin of the vehicle and present publicly the papers covering it.
The firearm was discovered inside Llamas vehicle when it figured in an accident last Friday.
The PNP which claims to be non-partisan showed its partisan color yesterday when it claimed that Llamas' owning the high-powered firearms are not illegal.
PNP-Firearms and Explosives Office (FED) director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles noted that they are allowing government officials with ranks from governor upward to carry high-powered firearms.
But Estilles clarified that their permission to let government officials carry high-caliber guns is not extended to their bodyguards.
The police claimed that they are now preparing administrative charges against Llamas' bodyguards who were caught carrying guns.
Llamas' bodyguardsused Llamas' vehicle while the presidential adviser was out of the country, the police pointed out.
Llamas in his defense said that he needs such firearms after receiving threats to his life just recently.
"The firearm is one of several measures adopted in the wake of information I received several months back from senior members of the intelligence community that there were credible threats to my personal safety," he said.
Based on the testimony issued by Junnel Tenorio, the truck driver concerned, that he was slowly driving the truck when the black Mitsubishi Montero Sport with plate number 6 bearing the acronym "OPA" crashed into his vehicle.
The traffic police and the media also saw an assault rifle beneath the driver's seat and several bullet-proof vests inside the SUV.
Llamas admitted owning at least 5 firearms: 3 short and 2 long firearms.
Llamas believes the threats stem from his work as political adviser, involved in unearthing information about corruption cases involving the previous administration. He is also an advocate of the postponement of the ARMM elections.
He said he presumes that because of these issues, he may have stepped on some people's toes and they have issued threats.
At the Senate, a question was raised on the legality to lug around a high-powered firearm to secure the life of a government official.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson asked this on the issue now confronting Llamas.
The senator, a former chief of the PNP , said Llamas is well within his rights to secure ample protection, even if it requires having such kind of "arsenal."
"How can you protect yourself against high-powered firearms (of your attackers) if your security details are only using short firearms? But then again, the bottom line (here is), are those firearms legal? That's the question in the issue," Lacson said.
The senator was referring to the matter of the said weapons having not only license but to permit to carry as well.
"If there's both, licensed and permit to carry, there's nothing irregular. But if there's no permit to carry, even if it's issued a license, then you cannot carry it outside of your residence," he explained.
The permit to carry the said firearms should be under the name of his bodyguards, not to the Palace official since they're the ones using it, Lacson emphasized.
"There's no justification in their claims that they needed to arm themselves with long firearms to secure Llamas. But at that time, where was Llamas? Apparently he was out of the country, in Switzerland," Lacson pointed out.
"The (other) question there is that, the firearms can no longer be accounted for. They were caught in the video (carrying those firearms) but the responding policemen failed to secure these items. So that's the physical evidence. The problem is, where's this physical evidence?
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Gregorio Honasan both said that they see nothing wrong in Llamas arming himself or his bodyguards with such kind of firearms.
"With his position, that is a given. There is always a possibility of a threat so he is entitled to protect himself," said Enrile, adding that the use of such kind of a weapon really depends upon the threat confronting the person involved.
"You are holding a position like that, he is the political adviser of the President and deals with all kinds of issues especially security, he's entitled to protect himself," Enrile, a former defense minister, said.
"You don't expect a Cabinet member to be carrying his gun. He's using that for security so he has to give it to somebody. If he entrusted it to him that is his responsibility. He's a person in authority. If that was given to him, entrusted to him as a part of his duty, I do not see how you can spell out a criminal liability. You have to consider the position of the person because if he's holding a sensitive position and he's exposed to possible threat because of his acts as high government official, he's entitled to protect himself," he added.
Honasan, for his part said there are rules and regulations covering possession and carrying of firearms. Angie M. Rosales and Gina Peralta-Elorde
FROM MANILA BULLETIN
Llamas defends AK-47 By GENALYN D. KABILINGOctober 10, 2011, 6:31pm
[PHOTO - Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Ronald Llamas answers questions from reporters during a press conference at Malacañang yesterday. WILLY PEREZ]
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Political Adviser Ronaldo Llamas Monday disclosed that he owns five firearms, including two high-caliber assault rifles, to protect himself from "credible" threats.
Despite owning these licensed firearms, Llamas admitted he still requested police security last month after realizing his security detail may not be enough.
Llamas defended the need for firearms for protection after an assault rifle was found in his vehicle that figured in a traffic accident last Friday in Quezon City. His two staff members, who used his car and kept the firearm without his consent, were already sacked for neglect of duty.
"The firearm is one of several measures adopted in the wake of information I received several months back from senior members of the intelligence community that there were credible threats to my personal safety," Llamas said in a Palace news conference.
Llamas, who arrived Monday from an official trip in Switzerland, explained that the death threats started last April when he received reports that several vehicles were suspiciously casing his residence in Quezon City. The same vehicles were also seen following Llamas when he fetched his daughter from school.
Llamas, who also received death threats through text messages, said he does not know where the threats are coming from. But the Palace official claimed that he may have earned enemies after his office has been involved in "many sensitive issues." Among these issues are the postponement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections and the investigation of corruption cases involving the previous government.
"I'm not sure but I presume because of the delicate issues handled by my office. We may have stepped on some people's toes and some people feel threatened," he said.
Taking the threats to his life seriously, Llamas said he decided to buy a new AK-47 firearm last July to match any high-powered firearm that may be used by his enemy. Apart from the AK-47, Llamas, a gun enthusiast, said he is also a registered owner of an M16 rifle and three handguns.
Llamas, however, said he also requested security from the Philippine National Police (PNP) last September to augment his safety and his family's protection.
On the traffic incident involving his two staff members, Llamas said his office will cooperate with the police investigation. He also pledged that he would not seek any special treatment on the matter.
Llamas was unable to take and secure his firearm out of his vehicle before he left for Switzerland last week. He admitted that he just asked his two staff members to secure the gun from the vehicle but failed to do so.
"I would like to emphasize and reiterate that there has been no attempt by anyone to withhold information about the incident, either from the police, media, or the public, or to allow those found responsible to escape culpability for their actions. Neither I, nor my office, will ask for or countenance 'special treatment' in this regard. We remain fully committed to the principles of transparency and public accountability that the President has defined his administration by," he said.
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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