[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’‘ILLEGAL SEARCH’ | Duterte supporters raid Guimaras house’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Thursday, July 6, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Twelve supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte were arrested for raiding the house of a man they suspected was into illegal gambling but without a search warrant, according to the Guimaras Police Provincial Office.
The 12 were members of Task Force Crusaders, a volunteer group acting as a “counterintelligence unit” of the Office of the President and the Office of the Solicitor General.
Policemen arrested the suspects early Tuesday evening in Sitio Sal-agan, Barangay Poblacion, Jordan, Guimaras.
Carrying short firearms, they barged into the house of Ferdinand Ronzales around 6:30 p.m. to supposedly conduct an anti-illegal gambling operation but according to Senior Superintendent Julio Gustilo, Guimaras police director, they did not have a search warrant.
“One of them fired his gun once in the air and this alarmed the people. The police were alerted,” said Gustilo.
The 12 men were brought to the Jordan police station. It was there where they introduced themselves as Task Force Crusaders members and presented what they claimed was a mission order from their national commander, retired police general Romeo Maganto.
“They may have a mission order but they’re certainly not authorized to conduct anti-illegal gambling operations. Only law enforcers are authorized to do that,” stressed Gustilo.
He identified the 12 men as follows:
* Ian Paclibar, 41, of Alta Tierra Village, Jaro, Iloilo City
* Rodolfo Andrade, 66, of Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
* Alfredo Ticar, 51, of Barangay Jereos, La Paz, Iloilo City
* Nelwin Teleran, 35, of Barangay Housing, Mandurriao. Iloilo City
* Loreto Rendon Jr., 53, of Hacienda Fe, Barangay Sambag, Zarraga, Iloilo
* Angel Allado Jr., 47, of Deca Homes, Barangay Pandac, Pavia, Iloilo
* Larry Agrabio, 42, of Barangay Poblacion Ilawod, Passi City
* Jose Gerald Ausin, 46, of Barangay Sinikway, Lapuz, Iloilo City
* Refrain Flor, 41, of Commission Civil, Jaro, Iloilo City
* Juanito Magbanua, 61, of BArangay Housing, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
* Edly Flores, 47, of Barangay Tagbak, Jaro, Iloilo City
* Rommel Baniola, 32, of Parc Regency, Pavia, Iloilo
Paclibar was said to be the regional commander of Task Force Crusaders.
From what the Guimaras Police Provincial Office so far gathered, Ticar, Teleran and Rendon entered Ronzales’ house while their nine other companions posted themselves outside.
The three reportedly introduced themselves as members of the Philippine National Police then searched the entire house.
Aside from not having a search warrant, Gustilo said the Task Force Crusaders members did not have permits to carry firearms outside of residence.
A search warrant is an order from the court that authorizes the police or other law enforcement agency to conduct a search of a location or person and to seize any evidence of a criminal offense.
The Jordan police also discovered that the firearms of some of the men had expired licenses and others were carrying guns not licensed to them, said Gustilo.
Ticar, Rendon and Teleran face three charges – illegal possession of firearms, trespass to dwelling and usurpation of authority.
The nine others will be charged with illegal gun possession, said Gustilo.
As a volunteer group, Task Force Crusaders aims to help the Duterte administration in the campaign against illegal drugs, illegal gambling, graft and corruption, and other crimes.
In August 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte and Solicitor General Jose Calida sanctioned the task force and its national commander Romeo Maganto, a retired police general.
Maganto said he would order task force members to track down criminals based on information from law enforcement agencies, but he clarified that he was not organizing a vigilante group.
Task Force Crusaders volunteers would be allowed to carry firearms, said Maganto, but he “will have the last say on who will be allowed to carry them.”
The Region 6 command of Task Force Crusaders was activated last September 2016./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
