Miriam wants inquiry on issuance of firearms, Llamas incident

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the alleged anomalies in the issuance of licenses and permits to carry firearms, particularly the case of presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas. File on Wednesday, Senate Resolution 622 seeks to direct the Senate blue ribbon committee to conduct an inquiry into the issuance of licenses and permits to carry firearms by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Santiago filed the resolution a day after she complained that there was a double standard for Llamas, whose aides were earlier caught carrying a high-powered firearm registered in his name. Llamas had admitted to owning five firearms, including the AK-47 that was in the possession of his two aides when his vehicle figured in an accident last week. With the Senate probe, Santiago said she wants to determine the maximum number of firearms that can be licensed to a person and the maximum number of firearms for which permits to carry can be issued to the same person. "It appears that Llamas has been issued both licenses and permits to carry for a reported total of five firearms for one person alone, including an AK-47 and an M-16 rifle," she said in the resolution. She said that the licenses and permits to carry were issued to Llamas after he was appointed as presidential adviser, and on his claim that he has been receiving death threats. "Simply because he is presidential adviser, and merely on his say-so of alleged death threats, Llamas is not automatically entitled to the rare privilege of a permit to carry for such ostentatious and high-powered firearms as an AK-47 and an M-16," she said. On the other hand, Santiago said Llamas should still be held accountable for the actions of his aides, whom he has fired. "He should be held to account on the principle of command responsibility and the constitutional principle of modest living," she said. — LBG, GMA News