Solon wants ‘illegal’ raid on house of Jabonga mayor, vice mayor probed

MANILA, Philippines — Agusan del Norte 2nd District Rep. Erlpe John Amante has sought for a House probe into the alleged illegal raid on the house of his allies, Jabonga Municipal Mayor Jasmin Monton and Vice Mayor Glicerio Monton Jr.

At a privilege speech during the chamber’s Wednesday plenary session, Amante recounted that last November 28, Agusan del Norte provincial police raided the Monton residence at 2:50 a.m.

Amante said the raid was “far from legal” and “had numerous and glaring marks of irregularity.”

“(The) raiding officers’ brazen and utter lack of respect for the well-established rule in the conduct of search operations was clear and easily apparent,” he added.

He also noted that the authorities were not armed with search warrants and “proceeded to break the door and entered the house” without “any prior announcement of their authority or purpose,” and conducted the search without being accompanied by any of the occupants.

Amante claimed that a second team of police officers arrived at 4:40 a.m., this time with a search warrant and were accompanied by barangay officials.

“And even more curious, it was the second team of police officers that discovered and seized the sachets of shabu and one hand grenade,” he added.

The congressman added that he would be filing a resolution directing the House committee on good government and public accountability to conduct an inquiry into the raid.

“I intend for this measure to fully and finally unmask the truth and show to everyone the sinister scheme of violence and police brutality spreading across our province,” Amante said.

He also called on the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to conduct their own investigations. /muf