THE decision of the Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by General Rommel D. Marbil to revoke the License to Own and Possess Firearms and Certificate of Registration of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy is not new since the PNP already revoked dozens of gun permits issued to various Filipinos who violated the law in the past.

In 2022 alone, the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office revoked 41 LTOFPs for various violations and seized the 201 firearms registered under the names of the 41 gun-holders.

The grounds for revocation include involvement of the owners in crimes like illegal drugs, illegal gambling, commission or pendency of a crime involving firearms and ammunition, prolonged non-renewal of a firearms license, illegal or unlawful transfer of firearms, violation of the election gun ban, revoked by order of the court and misrepresentation or submission of spurious supporting documents.

Anyone’s LTOPF may be revoked if convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or any offense where the penalty carries an imprisonment of more than six years; loss of the firearm, ammunition, or any parts thereof through negligence; carrying of the firearm, ammunition, or major parts thereof outside of residence or workplace without the proper permit or in prohibited places; dismissal for cause from the service in case of government official and employee; and non-compliance with reportorial requirements.

The PNP stressed that it will not tolerate the abuse of firearms by those who are involved in nefarious activities and added these revocations send a clear message the PNP will take action against those who use or possess firearms illegally.

Over the past four years, the PNP had revoked nearly 300 LTOPFs and seized more than 700 registered firearms.

Under Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013, an LTOPF is granted to an applicant who has passed the psychiatric test administered by a PNP-accredited psychologist or psychiatrist; passed the drug test by an accredited and authorized drug testing laboratory or clinic; passed a gun safety seminar which is administered by the PNP or a registered and authorized gun club;

filed in writing the application to possess a registered firearm which shall state the personal circumstances of the applicant; presented a police clearance from the city or municipality police office; and never been convicted or is currently an accused in a pending criminal case before any court of law for a crime that is punishable with a penalty of more than two years.

Just like in the case of the other licensed gun-holders whose LTOFP were previously revoked, the case of Quiboloy was studied thoroughly by the PNP-FEO License Revocation and Restoration Board whose regulatory function is to “study, review, validate and recommend the correction, deletion, revocation, cancellation, suspension or restoration of all issued licenses, registrations and permits relative to firearms and explosives through a Resolution.”

The PNP also revoked the LTOFP and Certificate of Registration of an ex-policeman who got involved in an incident involving an assault and the unlawful display of his firearm against an unarmed cyclist near Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City on August 8, 2023.

Last week, Gen. Marbil ordered the revocation of the LTOFP and Certificate of Registration issued to Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Quiboloy and one of his co-accused.

PNP spokesperson Col.Jean Fajardo said the PNP Legal Service concurred with the recommendation of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office after reviewing it on orders of Gen. Marbil.

Gen. Marbil also ordered the new Police Regional Office 11 director in Southern Mindanao, Brigadier Gen. Aligre L. Martinez to make sure that there will be no let-up in the hunt for Quiboloy.

“The PNP chief’s instruction to the new RD of PRO-11 is to make sure that the manhunt against Pastor Quiboloy will continue. As the PNP chief had said, since the warrants were issued, the PNP, in coordination with the NBI, has not stopped looking for Quiboloy,” she said.

Fajardo said that Gen. Marbil saw to it that the PNP-LS conducts a thorough review first of the FEO recommendations which cited provisions of RA 10591 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations which pertains to the legal disability of an individual or juridical gun owner in making the decision.

The official said copies of the revocation order will be sent to Quiboloy and his co-accused Cresente Canada or their next of kin.

She said the law states that upon revocation, the owner of the gun or his/her next of kin are required to surrender them to the PNP-FEO or the nearest police station for safekeeping within six months.

Failure to do so will prompt the police force to subject the holder of illegal firearms to a search warrant and filing of criminal charges for violation of RA 10591.

Quiboloy is the registered owner of 19 firearms, one of them with a license that expired last March while Canada has one licensed gun.