The Sandiganbayan has allowed former Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) Chief Brig. Gen. Raul D. Petrasanta, his assistant and a civilian employee to inspect the documents used as bases in the filing of graft charges against them.
Petrasanta, former FEO Assistant Chief Allan Parreño, civilian employee Sol Z. Bargan and several others have been charged with 28 counts of graft in the issuance of firearm licenses involving over 100 AK-47 rifles from August 2011 to April 2013 to four companies identified as Caraga Security Agency, Isla Security Agency, Claver Mineral Development Corporation, and JTC Mineral Mining Corporation.
The prosecution alleged that the documents on the applications for licenses were falsified and that the firearms were reportedly sold to members of the New People’s Army.
Petrasanta, Parreño, and Bargan asked the Sandiganbayan for duplicate copies of the documents pertaining to the applications with their signatures.
"In the interest of substantial justice and to avert further delay, this Court will consider accused Petrasanta et al's instant Manifestation with Motion as a request for the issuance of subpoena duces tecum to allow accused Petrasanta et al and their counsel to peruse, inspect, copy, or take photographs of the said documents," the Sandiganbayan’s resolution stated.
Petrasanta and his group were directed by the anti-graft court to coordinate with the Sixth Division Clerk of Court for the issuance of the necessary subpoena duces tecum directing the Records Section of the FEO to produce and bring to the Court the documents for their perusal.
The resolution was written by Sixth Division Chairperson Sarah Jane T. Fernandez with the concurrence of Associate Justices Michael Frederick L. Musngi and Kevin Narce B. Vivero.
Also included in the charges were former Civil Service Security Group Chief Gil Meneses, former FEO head Napoleon Estilles, former FEO Inspection and Enforcement (I&E) section chief Nelson Bautista, former I&E assistant chief Ricardo Zapata Jr., former PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies chief Tomas Rentoy III, Eduardo Acierto, Regino Catiis, Ricky Sumalde, Eric Tan, and Randy de Sesto, non-uniformed personnel Nora Pirote, and Isidro Lozada of the Caraga Security Agency.