Operations outside Revilla compound in Cavite legitimate, PNP insists

The National Police on Thursday maintained that the “police visibility and law enforcement operation” outside the compound of the Senator Bong Revilla's family in Bacoor City is a lawful police operations against possible election gun ban offenders.

 

“This is a legitimate police operation. As a deputized agency of Comelec, we continue to implement the election gun ban as part of our security operations during the election period,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo said in a statement.

 

The Comelec gun ban will end on June 12.

 

“Until we search the compound, the presumption is the armed men (who evaded the authorities) are still there,” Supt. Rommel Casanova Estolano, Cavite police spokesperson said in the same statement.

 

The police alleged that about 30 armed men were are still inside the Revilla compound.

In a separate interview, Estolano explained that police have not left their post outside the Revilla home since the day before the election.

 

“Sa highway along Emilio Aguinaldo at sa vicinity [ng Revilla compound], may mga pulis pa po pero hindi sa bakuran [ng mga Revilla],” Estolano said, adding that SAWT team is also on standby. “May alleged armed group na kasama nung mga nahuli namin nung Lunes.”

 

The Cavite police spokesperson was referring to the six National Bureau of Investigation agents who were arrested on May 13, Election Day, for violating the election gun ban.
 

Senator Revilla earlier said that the NBI agents were security forces that he had requested against the purported police harassment.

 

Estolano clarified that the Revillas have no accountability on the alleged gun ban violation.

“Kakasuhan lang ‘yung nahuli na tao. Hindi naman sila aanuhin (kakasuhan) sa pagkakanlong [ng mga tao],” he said.

 

Security men not goons

 

For her part, re-elected Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla denied having armed men inside their compound, claiming that they only have security personnel.

“Hindi ko maintindihan ‘yan. The police suspect we have armed men inside and armas but we don’t,” Revilla said in an interview on GMA News TV's News to Go Thursday.

 

“May security kami. Ang Comelec, allowed kami as candidates to have at least two security men. They were with me when I move around. Nadagdagan ‘yan dahil pagkasama si Jolo at Bong,” she explained.

 

“We are also allowed to request a security agency to be part of our security team at lisensyado ‘yan. We have permit from Comelec. Ginagawa naming what is allowed by law,” Lani added.

 

Likewise, Lani questioned the police alleged partiality. “Nakapagtataka kasi nung bago pa lang kumpanya, nagrequest na kami sa pulis para sa seguridad namin. Naging mabagal ang proseso ng paghingi ng tulong namin sa kapulisan.”

 

Estolano, however, rejected Revilla’s claim, saying: “Hindi ito politically motivated. Crime prevention ito sa area.”

 

Revilla to file a case

In the same television interview, Lani said they will be filing a case against the policemen.

“Our lawyers will be filing cases. As we speak, may nagfa-file nap o ngayon na kaso laban po sa kinauukulan kasi they always claim na itong mga pulis na hindi kikilos kung walang nag-uutos sa kanila,” she said.

 

“They tried to secure a search warrant pero up to this day wala po silang makuha kasi wala pong nasehan ang kanilang paghalughog o pag-search sa tahanan namin,” she added.

 

The Cavite police confirmed that they were not able to secure a search warrant as the Bacoor City Regional Trial Court denied their request. However, Estolano said they were able to submit a motion for reconsideration on Wednesday.

 

“Hindi ko maintindihan. Naproklama na kami. Tapos na ang halalan sa Bacoor, sa lalawigan ng Cavite… Ano pa?” Revilla lamented. — RSJ, GMA News