Cops nab 12 ‘pro-Duterte’ anti-crime group members for illegal raid

Guimaras map

ILOILO CITY—Police have arrested and filed criminal complaints against 12 members of a pro-Duterte civilian anti-crime group for raiding an alleged illegal gambling den on Guimaras Island.

The members of  Task Force Crusaders (TFC) have been detained at the police station of the capital town of Jordan and are facing complaints of illegal possession of firearms, usurpation of authority and qualified trespassing to dwelling, according to Chief Insp. Sheila Marie Sardoma, Jordan police chief.

Police arrested the TFC members after they raided the residence of Ferdinand Ronsales at the town proper Tuesday evening.

The group members, all residents of Iloilo, were armed with hand guns and claimed to be policemen.

“They have no authority to conduct any raid or operation because they are not members of any law-enforcement agency. And even members of the (law enforcement agencies) coordinate with us if they conduct operations here,” Sardoma told the INQUIRER.

Police confiscated 12 handguns, all of which were unlicensed.

Sardoma said they were also verifying with the national police headquarters in Camp Crame  any records of the firearms.

The criminal complaints were filed on Wednesday before the Guimaras Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, according to Sardoma.

The TFC, organized after President Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office, aims to recruit volunteers to support the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.

Their role is supposedly to gather and provide information to law enforcement agencies.

The volunteer organization is headed by retired police general Romeo Maganto, TFC national commander. JPV/rga