Dela Rosa's gun license, 117 firearm registrations revoked
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:16 p.m.) — The Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office has revoked the firearms license and registrations of Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa holds a type 5 firearms license and owns 117 firearms, according to the revocation order signed Tuesday, May 26.
The order said Dela Rosa's firearms license and registrations must be surrendered immediately under Section 4(g) of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
On Monday, May 25, the National Bureau of Investigation submitted a formal letter to the PNP chief, General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr, asking the firearms office to nullify Dela Rosa's firearms license and registrations.
The NBI also asked for the confiscation or surrender of Dela Rosa's "118 registered firearms" within 48 hours from notice, or upon his apprehension.
Dela Rosa lawyer questions order
Israelito Torreon, one of Dela Rosa's lawyers, immediately questioned the order after it was made public, saying the cited law was "not a revocation ground."
Torreon also argued that his client had not been convicted by any Philippine court.
"No Philippine court ordered any of this. No Philippine judge has found probable cause. The sequence is: strip the license, deploy 225,000 officers, classify as armed and dangerous, authorize lethal force," he said.
Dela Rosa is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed from 2016 to 2018, during which 32 people were allegedly killed.
The former PNP chief is currently in hiding from law enforcement authorities, who have deployed tracker teams to locate him and vowed to enforce the arrest warrant.
The NBI earlier said Dela Rosa is presumed "armed and dangerous" as long as he continues to evade arrest.
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