Raps filed vs 5 Nueva Ecija cops over alleged evidence planting

A complaint has been filed against five members of the Cabiao Municipal Police Station in Nueva Ecija for allegedly planting a grenade in a resident's home to justify his arrest.

The complainant, Noel Montano, accused the respondents of violating Republic Act 9516 and of gross misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a police officer, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, among others.

“Respondents are all policemen who willfully and feloniously conspired to plant a grenade as incriminating evidence inside my house to affect my illegal arrest on February 21,” Montano said in his five-page complaint-affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.

The respondents were identified as Police Major Shariel Paulino, Police Captain Sherwin Veloria, Police Corporal Arvin Rove Velasco, Police Corporal Jordan Talavera, and Police Staff Sergeant Joy Kristine Villar, as well as several "John Does."

FLASH REPORT: Hepe ng Cabiao police at ilan pang mga pulis, inireklamo sa Ombudsman dahil sa “pagtatanim” ng granada sa unan ng may sakit na nanay ng isang complainant sa naturang bayan sa Nueva Ecija. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/UcPuC15vFA

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 4, 2024

For their part, Paulino said they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

According to Allan Gatus' report on Super Radyo dzBB on Monday, Paulino said they are ready to face and answer the complaint lodged against them.

Complainant's accusation

In his complaint, Montao said he was taking care of his elderly mother who had recently undergone an intestinal surgery when the police officers came to him with a search warrant.

After being informed that a search warrant has been issued against him for allegedly keeping firearms, Montano said he requested the team leader to invite barangay officials to stand as witnesses during the search.

He said that with his invitation, he was accompanied by a barangay councilor back to his house. On the way there, he said they saw men in civilian clothes riding in tandem from the direction of his home. He said he believed that these were intelligence officers of the police station.

Upon arrival at his house, he was informed that a group of cops had already arrived in the vicinity of their house and left.

“I was shocked when after searching the loft, the policemen declared that they found a grenade under the pillow of my sick mother. I protested the finding because first, I never owned any explosive, especially a grenade that may put our lives in peril,” Montano said.

“And second, no one in his right mind would hide a grenade under the pillow of his ailing mother that just just went under the knife,” he added.

Prosecutors eventually dismissed the charges against Montano, saying that “there is nothing enumerated in the search warrant that was recovered from the possession of the respondent.”

“My predicament has caused so much injustice, public humiliation, anxiety, and undue persecution as my rights were directly violated,” Montano said. —KBK, GMA Integrated News