3 ex-PNP execs plead not guilty in AK-47 scam

MANILA, Philippines — Three former officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were arraigned yesterday on 25 counts of graft in connection with the alleged AK-47 rifle scam.

Former Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, who headed the PNP’s Firearms and Explosives Office; former FEO Inspection and Enforcement Section chief Superintendent Nelson Bautista and Chief Inspector Ricardo Zapata Jr., former I&E assistant chief, pleaded not guilty.

Eleven other former PNP officials were earlier arraigned.

Private respondent Isidro Lozada of the Caraga Security Agency also earlier pleaded not guilty to the cases.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2015, the cases stemmed from the FEO’s alleged anomalous issuance of licenses, from August 2011 to April 2013,  for over 100 AK-47 rifles in favor of four private firms despite incomplete or falsified applications and supporting documents.

Most of the firearms were later recovered from the members of the New People’s Army  in an encounter with the military in Mindanao in 2014.

The Office of the Ombudsman had earlier dismissed all the accused police officials in connection with the case.

Petrasanta, who was once a lead candidate for the PNP’s top post, is facing a separate set of graft cases before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division in connection with allegedly anomalous courier service deal for firearms licenses that the PNP entered into in 2011.

The primary accused in the cases is former PNP chief Alan Purisima.