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Wife takes video of labor leader's arrest during Calabarzon raids


A video taken by the wife of arrested labor leader Esteban Mendoza showed events that occurred while he was being served a search warrant last Sunday in Cabuyao, Laguna.

According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras,” the situation was initially calm while authorities were serving the search warrant. However, matters escalated quickly after Mendoza was told to step outside of his home.

“Ay hindi puwede! Bakit mo ginaganyan? Bakit mo ginaganyan? Sabi niyo ano lang. Kuya bakit po?” his wife could be heard saying in the video.

The video was abruptly cut off.

Mendoza was arrested for alleged possession of firearms and explosives.

“Nanawagan ako sa mga kasama na magpakatatag lalo na doon sa hinahasik na epekto ng anti-terror act, kung saan ang mga… gawa-gawang kaso ay patuloy na pinatutupad ni Pangulong Duterte,” he said.

Authorities also arrested Nimfa Lanzanas, a paralegal of progressive human rights group Karapatan.

"[A]ng trabaho ko lang naman po ay ano, isang simpleng may bahay, nagaalaga ng aking mga apo. Tapos ‘yun nga lang,” Lanzanas said.

Raid deaths

Meanwhile, Karapatan Secretary-General Christine Palabay said the weapons authorities allegedly found during Sunday's 24 raids in Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas were planted.

Nine suspects were killed during the raids.

“Sa amin pong nakausap na witnesses, kaanak ng mga buktima, both ng mga pinaslang at ng mga inaresto, mahigpit po ang kanilang pahayag. Wala po silang mga armas, wala po silang indikasyon na sila ay nanlaban at sila po ay mga legal na aktibista,” Palabay said.

Four of the fatalities were from the raid in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Abner and Eduard Damas Esto were killed in Barangay Puray. Meanwhile, neighbors Nelvin Desigaw and Mark Lee Bacasno were killed in Barangay Kasiglahan.

Their families denied the allegations security forces made against their kin.

“Binitbit na lang po ‘yung anak niya, hinatak sila palabas. Tatlong putok daw po. Ayun, nagpumilit asawa niya pumasok, hindi na pinapasok,” Roger, the uncle of Bacasno, said.

“Contractual worker po. Wala po. Papaano po mangyayari sinabi nila may baril. ‘Yun nga po kami nagtataka,” he added.

Meanwhile, cousins Puroy and Pandong Dela Cruz were also killed during Sunday's raids. In Batangas, husband and wife Ariel and Anna Evangelista were killed after allegedly resisting authorities.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 4-A said all nine fatalities possessed firearms and explosives.

Though the PNP sent pictures of the seized weapons, it was not stated who recovered the evidence nor where the evidence was found. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News

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