Ex-teacher implicated in drugs fears for life

CEBU, Philippines - A former public school teacher, whose name is in a police drug watchlist, has filed a writ of amparo against City of Naga police for supposedly threatening his life.

Runddie Suarez, 41, a resident of Sitio Upper Ecology, Barangay Tangke of the same city, alleged that members of the city police have been threatening him and had ransacked his house.

Writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee.

According to Suarez, at around 12 noon last November 18, 2016, members of Naga police and officials of Barangay West Poblacion, including barangay captain Jose Joe Herediano, went to his house in Tangke to conduct a Tokhang operation.

Suarez said he was placed in the drug watchlist because of his wife, who always accused him of being a drug addict every time they engaged in an argument.

Police and barangay officials did not see him in his residence that time. He said he was not yet home as he was traveling from Balirong National High School, where he was teaching.

He, however, met them on his way home.

During the meeting, the officials allegedly invited him to the police station to clear his name but Suarez told them that the allegations against him were baseless.

He said he was willing to undergo a drug test to clear his name but could not go with the officials to the police station as he was to have his lunch then and still had classes to attend to in the afternoon.

On the same day, he said, his wife left their conjugal house, bringing with her their three children.

Devastated by the departure of his wife, he resigned as public school teacher effective January 13 this year and planned to go abroad, but because he lacked skills and money to process his documents, his plan to did not materialize.

His resignation, he said, then became a source of rumors in the neighborhood that he was into illegal drugs. Police went to his house and told him to stop selling shabu, which he denied.

Unknown persons also went to his house and told him to supposedly stop his illegal drug trade, or else he would be killed.

Last August 24, upon arrival at his house from attending a fiesta celebration in Barangay Lutac in Naga, he allegedly noticed policemen coming out from their house. Later, he discovered that the house had been allegedly ransacked by the police officers.

“The ransacking of the house and disturbance of the neighborhood in a bid to arrest the petitioner is another clearly unlawful act. The PNP should have obtained a search warrant if they have evidence that petitioner is dealing in illegal drugs and is using the house premises in for criminal acts," read the petition Suarez’s camp filed before a regional trial court in Talisay City.

He said that if he was into illegal drugs, police should have filed a complaint against him before the Naga City Prosecutor's Office.

Suarez asked the court to order the Naga City police to stop threatening him and asked uniformed men other than Philippine National Police to protect him.

Lawyer Vincent Isles told The Freeman they filed the petition for fear that his client may be tagged soon as a “nanlaban” victim, a reason police often give to justify deaths of drug suspects during operations.

For his part, Naga Police Chief Superintendent Gregorio Galsim said they are willing face the case of Writ of Amparo filed against them, adding that they were only doing what they were supposed to do.

“We will stand on our action since we are just doing our job as a policeman to serve and protect the people,” Galsim said in a text message to The FREEMAN.

Galsim said Suarez is a newly identified drug personality in the area.

In his Facebook account, Suarez wrote: “God, I am very sorry for I have sinned but not the one they are accusing me of. You know so much the pureness of my heart and the truthfulness of my soul. And you know so well that I am innocent and a victim (of) these disturbing and dangerous accusations thrown (at) me by my haters recently.” —/JMD (FREEMAN)