Solon slams 'police lapses' in Lumad 'rescue,' urges Sinas to relieve Cebu cops involved

Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero on Wednesday criticized the supposed rescue operation of minors conducted by police officers in Cebu City, saying that authorities showed excessive force and inhumane treatment in this operation.

In his privilege speech, Romero called for a House inquiry over the incident. He said the operation, which he described as a brutal raid, "emphasizes the need to swiftly put in place standard operating procedures in the conduct of police operations involving minors or staged in the presence of children."

"While members of the PNP are generally regarded as upright citizens who make countless sacrifices, protecting rule of law in this country, these photos and footages clearly show the lapses on the part of Police Regional Office 7 who without reservation violently entered the Lumad bakwit school," Romero said.

He believes that there is something remiss in the operation.

"There are too many questions wanting to be asked as clearly, the subject incident led to distress, agony and even trauma to the children who were caught in the middle of the police operations,” Romero said.

The lawmaker called on the police to spare Filipino children, regardless of religion, ethnicity, and social status, from acts of aggression.

Romero further urged Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas to relieve all those who are involved in the "illegal raid" of children while a House probe is ongoing.

Sought for reaction, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana urged the lawmaker to hear out the side of the children's parents too and not just his progressive colleagues in the chamber.

"The good deputy speaker, with all due respect, should also listen to the stories of the other side, the parents in particular, the most vulnerable IP communities in Talaingod, Dvo Del Nte, so that he would be able to realize who to believe in when it comes to the best interest of the children from the Manobo tribe rescued by our authorities out of human trafficking and communist exploitation, he said.

He said Romero should "not make any hasty reaction merely on the usual claim of a group of party list members in Congress every time the police does its job."

Sinas had said the operation was conducted to rescue minors from communist rebels at the University of San Carlos' retreat house.

However, the University said the minors were part of the 42-person delegation that participated in a modular schooling activity in March 2020. 

The Makabayan Bloc already filed a resolution calling for an investigation on the incident. -MDM, GMA News