Carabuena stripped of license to own, carry guns

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MANILA, Philippines—After losing his driver’s license, a Philip Morris executive who was caught on video beating up a traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has also been prohibited from owning and carrying firearms.

Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, chief of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Philippine National Police, said on Thursday the FEO Licensing and Revocation Board recently cancelled the firearms license issued to Robert Blair Carabuena.

Carabuena, a human resource manager of Philip Morris, was widely criticized on various social media networks after he and his brother Robert Benjamin was filmed ganging up on MMDA traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros on August 11.

“We have revoked the gun license of Carabuena because of the complaint filed by the MMDA and the case filed against him in court,” Petrasanta told reporters.

“We are coordinating with the local police for the confiscation of his firearm,” he said.

Petrasanta said the FEO board approved the revocation of the license for Carabuena’s 9mm Steyr on September 24.

While he could still appeal the board’s decision, the police official said it would be difficult for Carabuena and other gun owners whose licenses were revoked to again be allowed to buy and carry firearms.

“They have to be cleared first by the court. But even if they are exonerated, the FEO has the last say if they will be permitted to own guns again,” he said.

“We will be very careful in reviewing each appeal since they already have records of violating (the policies in owning firearms). They have to justify their previous actions.”