After ‘Warrantless’ raid of their house; Couple seeks protection vs Talisay City policemen

CEBU, Philippines - A couple from Talisay City has sought intervention from the court to prevent local policemen from committing “unlawful acts” against them.

Adhmann Canangca-an and his wife, Priscilla, filed yesterday a petition for a Writ of Amparo before the Court of Appeals against Superintendent Aileen Recla, acting chief of the Talisay City Police Office, and 16 other policemen.

Lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo said his clients are hiding in fear for their lives and wants protection from court.

“Petitioners and their family feel that their lives are in danger now. There is no guarantee and assurance that respondents and law enforcement unit will not repeat the illegal acts,” the couple stated in their petition.

The couple asked the appeals court to grant them a temporary protection order under the National Bureau of Investigation-7.

They also asked the appeals court to order the policemen to issue a “categorical apology” for their alleged illegal acts against them.

They likewise wanted the court to direct the policemen to return the hard disc of the closed-circuit television camera they seized from their house.

Canangca-an was released from jail last Monday after posting a P120,000 bail for direct assault and attempted murder cases.

Canangca-an surrendered to the Talisay City police because he wanted to clear his name after he was accused to have participated in a shootout along with his cousin, Barangay Maghaway Councilman Felix Abacajan Jr. and his brother Joeser.

The Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) personnel were hunting the Abacajans for allegedly keeping unlicensed firearms.

The two were subjects of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 18 Judge Gilbert Moises.

Canangca-an said he did not participate in the shootout, which resulted in the deaths of Joeser and Julian Bonghanoy Jr. The councilor reportedly suffered a gunshot wound to the left shoulder.

Seized from Felix’s residence were a KG9 machine pistol, three .45 pistols, two shotguns, an M16A1 rifle, two magnum rifles, two rifle grenades, a 40 mm grenade launcher canister, and several bullets.

Police also recovered a bullet-proof vest, a gun box, and two cotton swabs inside the Nissan Navara Canangca-an had driven.

In the petition, Villagonzalo said that Adhmann was interrogated by policemen in Talisay City without any legal counsel who could assist him.

Several unidentified policemen allegedly twisted his arms to extract information from him about the whereabouts of his cousin, Councilor Abacajan.

Villagonzalo said that some of policemen even threatened to summarily execute Canangca-an “anytime.”

Last October 8, Canangca-an said that his son texted him that around 12 to 15 heavily armed policemen barged into their home without any search warrant.

At the Police Regional Office-7, Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño said Councilor Abacajan is welcome to surrender to him or to any of the police stations under his command.

“Definitely, we will file a case against him. Kahit saan o kahit sa akin, pwede siyang mag-surrender. Abacajan’s life is in danger if he is still hiding from the police. Baka may encounter, confrontation,” Taliño said.

The PRO-7 chief’s statement came after the Talisay City encounter was highlighted during the Senate hearing with Senior Superintendent Eric Noble of Cebu Provincial Police Office and Senior Superintendent Joel Doria of the Cebu City Police Office last Thursday afternoon.

It was Noble who shared the operation in Talisay City to the Senate as an example, adding that two persons were killed during the police encounter.

Before the hearing led by Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, both Noble and Doria said that all the anti-drug operations that happened in Cebu City and in the province were legitimate as they followed the protocol in dealing with suspects.

Taliño said that both police chiefs were telling the truth.

“Yun naman ang totoo yung sinasabi nila itong death under investigation, ay ginagawan ng imbestigasyon,” he said.

As to the status of Abacajan, who remains at-large, Taliño said they are currently tracking down the barangay official.

“The location of the barangay official is still being traced by the police,” he said.

Recla, meanwhile, said the reason why Canangca-an and his wife filed a petition against them is that they are “scared.”

“Kana kay nahadlok mana sila nga balikan,” Recla said.

“Ilaha man sad ng katungod (to file a petition) unya mamasangil sila og unlawful acts kay katong amoa nag-hot pursuit operation man mi. Tarong ang among gibuhat,” she said.

Recla said they were only doing their job and the complainants were only seeking for security.

She stressed that the recent hot pursuit operation they conducted against the couple’s residence was last Saturday.

She said it was natural that the couple would target them in their petition as it was the Talisay City police that conducted the hot pursuit operation against Abacajan.

She added that whenever they received information regarding Abacajan’s presence, they will immediately conduct hot pursuit operation, including at residence of the Canangca-an couple in Barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Christell Fatima M. Tudtud, Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)