THE Philippine National Police yesterday maintained that loose firearms which may have been used or may be used in the commission of crimes in Calabarzon were the main targets of last Sunday’s simultaneous anti-criminality raids in the region which left nine suspects dead in reported gunbattles with officers.
“The PNP stands upon the strength of our existing laws. We don’t look at individuals’ profile. We look at what they have committed and violated that have caused danger to the public which the police wants to protect,” said PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi N. Usana.
The official maintained anew that getting a search warrant is not as easy as their critics claim since judges really examine the evidence and testimonies presented by officers.
PNP chief General Debold M. Sinas has ordered Police Regional Office 4-A director Brig. Gen. Felipe R. Natividad to handle the concern raised by critics of the Calabarzon raids.
He also encouraged his men to intensify the drive against violators of law, more so on the strength of either arrest or search warrants, said Usana. “That’s the mission of the PNP, and we don’t mind those criticizing the efforts of our police officers who are just doing their job to serve and protect the people,” he added.
The PNP spokesperson maintained that “Issuance of search warrants is as difficult as getting arrest warrants.”
“There is deposition of witnesses and the examining judge has to make probing questions. Serving of warrants also requires the presence of at least two witnesses. The operations at the least were legitimate,” he said.
He also said the same on the filing of charges against suspects. “Pagsampa po namin ng kaso, ebidensia po ang makikita at kailangang maapreciate ng judge po. Hindi yung communist tag po. The evidence of guilt must be strong and that is what our operatives saw following the serving of the search warrants at different locations in Calabarzon. That’s how police operations work, all according to the primacy of the law.
