PRO-6 sees triumph amid quashing of arrest warrants in Rizal Day raids

By Jennifer P. Rendon

You win some, you lose some?

The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said the odds are still in their favor even if a Capiz court granted the motions to quash the search warrants in the controversial Rizal Day raids in Tapaz, Capiz and Calinog, Iloilo on Dec. 30, 2019.

In an official statement released July 9, PRO-6 said they expected that some subjects of the raids would seek legal remedies, like the filing of the motion to quash the arrest warrants.

However, “that does not affect the fact that nine of the arrested personalities in the conduct of police operation in Tapaz and Calinog have submitted themselves for the plea-bargaining agreement.”

In two separate resolutions issued on June 15, 2021, Judge Rommel Leonor of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 21 in Mambusao, Capiz granted the motions to invalidate the search warrants filed by six subjects of the arrest warrants from Tapaz town.

The petitioners were Marievic Aguirre, Eleuteria Caro, Rollen Catamin, Ferdinand Capillo, Jucie Caro, and Marilou Catamin.

Aguirre, Eleuteria Caro, Rollen Catamin, and Capillo were subjects of search warrants for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and RA 9516 of illegal possession of explosive.

On the other hand, Jucie Caro and Marilou Catamin were subjects of search warrant for violation of RA 10591.

A seventh motion by another accused, Benny Pet Lorana, was belatedly filed by his counsel with the Mambusao RTC and is awaiting decision.

For PRO-6, the subjects could seek legal remedies to find loopholes and free themselves.

“But it did not change anything. The plea-bargaining agreement says it all. They illegally possessed firearms,” the statement added.

The Western Visayas police force is banking on the admission of the arrested nine persons who availed the plea-bargaining agreement to avow the legitimacy of the operations.

“We might have lost in the six motions to quash (that were) granted, but we have gained so much in this operation,” the statement added.

The gains?

PRO-6 said that more than 300 surrendered and the number continues to rise following the service of the arrest warrants against alleged “ranking CPP-NPA members.”

On top of that, “the people are now cooperating with the government,” it added.

While some groups celebrate the freedom of the six petitioners, “we celebrate the freedom of these communities from the control of the CPP-NPA,” PRO-6 said.

It also stressed that no one is above the law.

“Our police officers will continue enforcing the law without fear or favor to hunt down people who sow fear and endanger the communities because what we are after is bringing peace, order and development in the communities,” it added.

It can be noted that 16 persons were arrested during the December 30 raids led by the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) by the strength of search warrants issued by Manila RTC Branch 4 Judge Lorenzo dela Rosa.

Eight of the arrested persons took plea bargains and have been meted with lesser penalties:

They were identified as Aileen Catamin, Carlito Diaz, and Rolando Caspillo of Tapaz – and Luisito Bautista, Marilyn Chiva, and Wilseo Chiva of Calinog who were nabbed for violations of R.A. 10951 and R.A. 9516.

Also collared were Benito Caballero and Lauriano Castor of Calinog for violation of R.A. 10951.

Only one of the accused in Calinog, Rodolfo Diaz, challenged the search warrants against him, with the trial ongoing at the RTC in Janiuay, Iloilo.

Right after the raids, the PNP Regional Internal Affairs Service 6 (RIAS-6) conducted a pre-charge investigation on 14 members of the CIDG.

But they were subsequently absolved of any administrative liability.

While the December 30 raids were conducted in Calinog (2 barangays) and Tapaz (7 barangays), the investigation focused on the Tapaz raids where nine persons died during police operations.

The encounter led to the deaths of Roy Giganto, Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre of Barangay Lahug; Maurito Diaz, Sr. of Barangay Tacayan; Eliseo Gayas, Jr. of Barangay Aglinab; Artilito Katipunan of Barangay Acuña; Joemar Vidal of Barangay Daan Sur; and Garson Catamin and Rolando Diaz of Barangay Nayawan.

Their families had earlier asserted that they offered no resistance and were killed at point blank.