By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday called on broadcaster Erwin Tulfo to surrender his firearms as their licenses have expired in May.
PNP spokesperson Col. Bernard Banac said Tulfo has been notified and that he should turn over all his firearms to the PNP for safekeeping prior to the renewal of his license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF).
“The PNP has ordered for the recall or temporary safekeeping of the firearms of Erwin Tulfo in as much as the license to own and possess firearms of Mr. Erwin Tulfo has already expired,” Banac told reporters during a press briefing.
“If the LTOPF is already expired, then there is no more reason for an individual to keep firearms even if these firearms are still valid, if the licenses are valid. They need to be surrendered for temporary safekeeping,” he said.
The licenses of Tulfo’s firearms are still valid, he said, declining to reveal the number of the broadcaster’s firearms.
Banac said the submission of application for the renewal of the LTOPF will resume after the end of the election period next week.
“The election gun ban is in effect until June 12. For those whose firearms’ licenses have expired, surrender these for safekeeping or get caught and be held liable under the Omnibus Election Code,” he said.
Banac said a search warrant can be issued against Tulfo if he refuses to heed the order.
“This can be subjected to a search warrant because remember that the firearms’ owners need to have a license to own and possess firearms. Without this, there is no authorization for an individual to keep firearms even if these are registered or licensed firearms,” he added.
Banac said he can surrender the firearms to the nearest police station or the Firearms and Explosives Office in Camp Crame for safekeeping.
He clarified that the recall order is only for Erwin as the LTOPF of his other brothers is still valid.
For her part, PNP Civil Security Group spokesperson, Lt. Col. Regina Abanales, said they did not order the cancellation of the LTOPF as it normally expires.
Tulfo earlier drew flak from netizens and retired military officials after he berated former Army chief and now Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista after the latter failed to grant him an interview.
Days after the incident, the Department of the Interior and the Local Government ordered the recall of the security escorts of the Tulfo brothers.
Police Security Protection Group director, Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, said the recall for the conduct of review of the police personnel who serve as security detail to an individual is a normal process.
He said the review, which will identify if a person is still entitled to a police escort, usually takes a week or two.
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