Civilians pursue charges over Molo police station raid

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Three civilians—a barangay captain, a store owner, and a media worker—plan to file criminal complaints against personnel of the Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Special Action Force over the controversial July 1, 2026, operation at Iloilo City Police Station 4 in Molo.

Col. Kim Legada, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, said investigators are considering complaints of grave threats, grave coercion, and violation of domicile under Article 128 of the Revised Penal Code.

The barangay captain will be represented by private counsel in filing the complaints against the IMEG and SAF personnel.

The store owner and media worker will file their complaints through Police Station 4.

At press time, Legada could not say how many IMEG and SAF personnel would be named as respondents.

Investigators identified the possible criminal complaints based on the findings of the RIDMD investigation.

The findings will be forwarded to the Regional Legal Service for review.

Legada declined to comment on possible administrative liabilities involving the IMEG and SAF personnel.

He said the National Police Commission has taken cognizance of the case.

“We will submit to them the documents that we have gathered, as part of their investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, Western Visayas police chief, could not confirm reports that the IMEG team leader who led the operation had been relieved from the post.

Heavily armed IMEG personnel, supported by SAF troopers, entered Police Station 4 after receiving information that a wanted former police officer was hiding inside the precinct.

The operation was intended to serve an arrest warrant on dismissed police officer Jerry Villanueva, who was wanted in connection with a murder case.

Villanueva was not found inside the police station.

He surrendered to Tuaño shortly after midnight on July 5, 2026, and was subsequently placed in police custody.

Villanueva is facing a murder case in connection with the Jan. 19, 2020, killing of Delfin Britanico in La Paz, Iloilo City, according to Britanico’s family.

At the time of the operation, Police Station 4 personnel were preparing for an anti-drug operation.

IMEG personnel allegedly ordered fellow police officers to lie on the floor and temporarily disarmed them.

The operatives also allegedly confiscated the officers’ mobile phones.

A barangay official and a local media reporter who were at the station as witnesses for a planned buy-bust operation were allegedly held at gunpoint.

Questions about whether proper coordination occurred before the operation prompted multiple investigations into possible operational lapses.

Napolcom Region 6 opened a parallel investigation into allegations that the operatives exceeded their authority and endangered civilians during the operation.

The PNP also ordered a broader review and directed investigators to verify reports that Villanueva had been frequenting Police Station 4 and participating in police operations despite his dismissal from the service.