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Miriam decries ‘double standard’ in Llamas case


Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Tuesday decried the alleged double standard in the case of presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas, whose aides were caught carrying a high-powered firearm registered in his name last week. "Normally, [permits to carry] are issued only for handguns. This is an AK-47, an assault rifle. Bakit siya exempted? Ilan ang exempted ng PNP (Philippine National Police). Ano ang basehan nila?" Santiago told reporters in an interview. Llamas had admitted owning five firearms, including the AK-47 that was in the possession of his two aides whey they figured in a car accident last Friday using Llamas' vehicle. At the time, Llamas was abroad. Santiago, a lawyer, noted that even when she was head of the Immigration Commission, she was not allowed to carry long arms. "I made do with the handgun," she said. "Ngayon, sino itong mga mentalidad na ito na they are untouchables? I want to know who are these exceptional people. Ipapaimpbestiga ko nga sa Senado ‘yan. Ang yayabang ng mga ito," the feisty lawmaker added. Death threats? She also did not accept Llamas’ claim that he bought the AK-47 because there were threats to his life. "You can send a death threat to yourself by mail or by email. So I want to know also, I want to investigate the PNP, what kind of real investigation do you do when a person says I have a threat in my life? Does it depend to the status of a person? Does it depend on how close he is to the powers-that-be in Malacañang? Is that it? Is that a criterion?" she said. Santiago added: “At saka presidential adviser on political affairs, bakit sya mangagailangan ng armas. Hindi naman siya anti-crime czar o hindi naman sya taga-imbestiga ng mga criminal syndicates. Why are we having two standards?" Santiago also said that when she was immigration chief, she "faced things like a man." "I left all the guns at home because I cannot bring them with me on my person," she said. "That is the rule. Be ready to be fired upon and to die, croak your last." Santiago said Llamas should resign if he is fearful of the threats against him. Llamas had earlier said that he would resign only if President Benigno Aquino III asks him to. Malacañang has also defended Llamas in the issue, saying the criticisms against him were all propaganda. - KBK, GMA news

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