Manila, Philippines – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to seize the licensed firearms of a police officer involved in a firing incident at a bar in Quezon City. The directive was issued following the revocation of the licenses for all three guns owned by the officer, Lt. Col. Mark Julio Abong, by the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office.
According to Philippines News Agency, individuals who are irresponsible or untrustworthy should not be privileged to own or carry firearms, emphasizing that this applies even if the individual is a law enforcement officer. He stressed that possession, ownership, and carrying of firearms are privileges granted by the government, not vested rights. These privileges can be revoked, especially in cases where a crime is committed using the firearm.
Abalos also referenced Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 10918, which prohibits the carrying or transporting of firearms or deadly weapons outside of residence or place of business in public places during the election period. The resolution, which covered the recently concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), began on August 28 and ended on Wednesday. Under Section 63 of the resolution, the PNP chief or authorized representatives can revoke, cancel, or suspend firearms licenses, registration, and permits to carry firearms outside of residence based on certain grounds, including the commission of crimes involving firearms.
Lt. Col. Abong is currently facing criminal complaints for the illegal discharge of a firearm under Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), violations of the Omnibus Election Code, physical injury, slander by deed, and disobedience to an agent or person in authority. These charges are filed at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
In a related case from March, the Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (QC PLEB) ordered Abong’s dismissal from service due to a hit-and-run incident in August 2022 that resulted in a fatality and an injury. However, Abong remains in service pending the DILG’s decision on his appeal for the earlier case.
