By JEL SANTOS, With a report from Francis T. Wakefield
Caloocan police officer-in-charge Sr. Supt. Jemar Modequillo believes the controversial follow-up operation of Caloocan policemen after a buy bust was unusual and filled with irregularities.
Investigation is now ongoing regarding an allegation that cops ransacked the house of a 51-year-old businesswoman last September 7 in Barangay 188, Tala, Caloocan which was captured on CCTV cameras.
The police reportedly conducted a search operation but without any search warrant after the drug suspect they just caught pointed to the said residence of the businesswoman as his drug source.
“Dapat kapag nanghimasok tayo ng pribadong lugar, dapat armed tayo ng search warrant. Hindi ko alam bakit pinayagan nilang magdala ng baril ang isang sibilyan, at kung bakit may sinama silang bata,” said Modequillo.
Based on their movements as seen through the CCTVs, the child, who took two watches and a phone, seemed to be known to the cops who barged into the gated place using a bolt cutter and were armed and wearing bullet proof vests.
Modequillo however appealed to the public not to generalize all cops.
“Please, I appeal to the public, not to generalize all cops. Many are still true to their oath—to serve and protect,” said Modequillo.
Meantime, the head of the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) said that it will conduct an immediate investigation on the troubled policemen.
PNP Internal Affairs Service Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo revealed the probe will help them get to the bottom of the whole incident.
“Ang IAS ay merong mandato to conduct an automatic investigation or motu proprio, lahat ng operation ng pulis na merong injury, death and violation of human rights,” said Triambulo.
Triambulo said what happened at Caloocan City is a violation of one’s privacy.
“Ito ay isang violation ng karapatang pantao sa privacy or right to domicile. So kaya nga kinabukasan once na makuha namin yung mga spot reports sa nangyaring ito or makuha namin sa other sources automatic ang IAS ay may investigation agad,” added Triambulo.
