The tarp allegedly confiscated during the arrest of suspected communist rebels had a typo: Intead of “babae,” it had “babe” printed as part of the Gabriela slogan. (Photo grabbed from a Gabriela post on Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — Contrary to the claim of progressive organizations, the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) maintained that the operations in Bulacan and Quezon City where party-list groups’ streamers were found from communist rebels are “regular.”
In a statement on Thursday, CIDG director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro insisted that their operation was legitimate — bearing arrest orders from the court — and that no evidence was planted on the areas where the supposed rebels were arrested.
Ferro’s statement was a response to the claims of Gabriela Women’s Party-list that the tarpaulins seized during the two separate operations were not from them, as typographical errors like the use of the word ‘babe’ instead of ‘babae’ (woman) was seen on the tarps shown by CIDG.
“The pieces of evidence that were inadvertently found in the possession of the wanted persons were properly inventoried in the presence of barangay officials,” Ferro said.
“Our personnel strictly followed the Police Operational Procedures during the said operation,” he added.
Ferro further claimed the PNP does not condone and engage in planting evidence and red-tagging, or the supposed practice of linking progressive groups and activists to communist rebels.
“[…] Gabriela merely wants to discredit the police involved in the operation and that this was not the first occasion that law enforcement personnel discovered Gabriela and Bayan Muna propaganda materials along with firearms, ammunition and explosives during legitimate operations,” he explained.
“The PNP CIDG will remain faithful to our duty to enforce the law and implement lawful orders of the court anytime, anywhere, and against anyone in the best interest of justice and the rule of law,” he added.
Last November 16, PNP’s Public Information Office reported that six alleged New People’s Army (NPA) members, including one high-ranking member, were arrested by the CIDG in two separate operations.
PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said that a certain Gil Peralta, supposedly a regular member of the Communist Party of the Philippines who acted as a convener of its Second Congress, was arrested in Barangay Maribolo, Quezon City.
Five others were arrested in Barangay San Vicente of Santa Maria, Bulacan. According to CIDG operatives, various firearms and ammunition were seized from the NPA rebels.
Along with the firearms, photos from CIDG showed tarpaulins of Gabriela and Bayan Muna, another party-list group part of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc.