BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO – The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) denied that the police “planted” weapons and other evidences in the house of Neptalie Barrios who was arrested on Aug. 12 in Barangay Agtabo, Passi City.
The Barrios family was a suspect in the strafing of the house of the Gonzales family in Barangay Braulan, San Enrique town on July 30.
Among those wounded were the 13-year-old child of couple Bryan and Ledylie Gonzales and 22-year-old Joy Paturara, according to a DYRI RMN Iloilo report.
According to IPPO director Colonel Ronaldo Palomo, considering the number of recoveries from the Barrios house, it would be difficult to carry and plant them.
Through the strength of a search warrant against N. Barrios and Jeffrey Barrios, officers of the Passi City Police Station and the IPPO’s Special Operations Group recovered two .38 revolvers, a .9mm pistol, a riffle sub-machine gun, a grenade, bullets, and magazines.
Palomo added there were witnesses during the police operation.
The IPPO chief also denied he knew the judge who issued the search warrant.
For his part, Passi City Police Station chief Lieutenant Colonel Aron Palomo said they only implemented the search warrant issued by the court.
He added that during the raid the village chairman was also present.
“Search warrant ina, may order na ya ang court sa amon kag gin-implement lang namon. Tapos ara na ang kaso sa korte so let the court decide na lang sa kaso. Kag sa ila man ya allegation, counter defense na nila. Ila man na ya kinamatarong kung ano man nadugang nila. Basta may pirma ang kapitan kag barangay kagawad nga may search in accordance sa aton nga SOP [standard operating procedure],” the Passi City police chief said.
Atty. Jesus Obejero Jr., Barrios family’s lawyer, said they knew that the police officers were doing their job but they should have observed justice and fairness.
“Sa side naman namin, alam namin na ‘yong pulis ginagawa lang nila ang trabaho nila pero habang ginagampanan nila ang trabaho nila, ang hinihingi lang naman namin i-observe natin palagi ang justice and fairness. At saka ‘di ba ang trabaho naman ng pulis is to serve and protect. Dapat lahat ‘yon walang pinipili, walang kinikilingan…,” said Obejero.
The lawyer added the family is taking legal action against the officers of the Passi City Police Station.
“May balak silang [family] legal actions na gagawin pero pag-usapan pa namin ‘yon. Syempre takot din sila sa safety and security nila kasi syempre mga pulis ‘yon eh,” he said./PN
