MANILA - The Sandiganbayan 6th Division on Thursday cancelled the scheduled arraignment of former Police Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta and three other police officials charged with graft over alleged illegal issuance of AK-47 rifles.

The arraignment was postponed as the defendants' lawyer, Atty. Maria Nympha Mandagan left for the United Stated for an annual medical check-up and promised to return on September 14, 2016.

The Sandiganbayan moved the arraignment to September 22, 2016.

Petrasanta's co-accused in the graft raps are police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto, Superintendent Nelson Bautista and Chief Inspector Ricardo Zapata Jr.

The four were among 11 individuals who allegedly conspired with former national police chief, Director General Alan Purisima in facilitating, processing and approving the applications for firearms licenses of Caraga, Isla Security Agency (Isla), Claver Mineral Development Corporation, and JTC Mineral Mining Corporation despite incomplete or falsified applications and supporting documents.

READ: Ombudsman raps top PNP officials in AK-47 scam

Most of the firearms were also released immediately even though some of the requests for their withdrawal from storage were not signed by the requester.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman website, a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group report dated July 17, 2014 earlier revealed that four private security agencies and a mining company successfully applied and were issued firearms licenses by the PNP-FEO using falsified and incomplete documentary requirements.

Based on the PNP-FEO database, 1,004 licensed firearms were released through the submission of incomplete and/or falsified applications submitted by Isidro Lozada, owner of Caraga Security Agency, who purchased the firearms from Twin Pines, Inc. which, in turn, facilitated and submitted the falsified and/or incomplete license applications of Lozada to the PNP-FEO.

Despite irregularities in the applications, licenses were processed and approved by PNP-FEO officials and personnel.

The PNP also revealed over 1,000 AK-47 and M-16 rifles have ended up in the hands of New People's Army guerrillas in Mindanao.