House probe sought into 'warrantless arrest' of Muslim traders tagged as drug suspects

Muslim lawmakers led by Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman have filed a resolution seeking probe into the supposedly warrantless arrest of two Muslim traders in Manila who were tagged as drug suspects by the police.

In House Resolution 981, Hataman and six other Muslim solons asked the Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Muslim Affairs to investigate the arrest of Saadudin Alawiya and Abdullah Maute on June 12 after their homes were allegedly searched without a court order by members of Manila Police District Station 5.

"The primary objective of this probe is to get to the bottom of what happened in the afternoon of June 12 in the residence of the two Muslim traders, get the side of the police, find out if there was really abuse of authority, and study if there is a need for legislation to address an injustice,” Hataman said.

“Madalas kasi mangyari ang pang-aabuso ng ilan sa ating mga kapulisan, lalo na sa ating mga kapatid na Muslim. At mas lalong nakababahala ito dahil sa napipintong pagsasabatas ng Anti-Terrorism Bill na sa tingin ko ay open na open sa pang-aabuso ng mga magpapatupad nito,” he added.

Hataman is among the lawmakers who voted against the new anti-terrorism bill when it was being deliberated in the House of Representatives.

He argued that empowering law enforcers to conduct warrantless searches and arrests will only result in the abuse and misuse of their authority granted to them by the measure.

The June 12 arrest of the two Muslim traders is one example of this, Hataman said, where police seemingly disregarded due process and standard procedures in conducting the operation.

"Ito sana ang gusto nating maiwasan sa kahit na anong polisiya, ang pagmamalabis sa kapangyarihan ng mga nagpapatupad ng batas, lalo na sa mga kapatid nating Muslim na kadalasan ay biktima ng diskriminasyon at profiling," he added.

Citing reports, Hataman said that policemen, without properly identifying themselves and sans any search warrant or warrant of arrest, allegedly broke into the house where Alawiya and Maute are residing. He said the operation was done without properly coordinating with barangay officials, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the police station in the area.

This, he said, violated the standard procedure in conducting search or buy-bust operation.

Hataman said the police could have built a strong case against the Muslim traders instead of disregarding legal procedures.

"Had they done so, we wouldn’t be in this situation, na kailangang pa natin imbestigahan sa Kamara ang insidenteng ito," he said.

"Good police work should have worked in this case, pero ang nangyari, mukhang gustong ishort-cut ang proseso at the expense of trampling on the human rights of the Muslim traders,” he added.

Hataman stressed the need to come up with strict guidelines to prevent abuse of authority by the police.

"Hindi naman lahat sila ay ganito, mas maraming matitino. Pero may iilan na sumusobra at umaabuso sa kanilang kapangyarihan. Justified siguro ang mas malaking parusa sa abusadong pulis, dahil sila dapat ang nangangalaga sa mga mamamayan,” the human rights activists noted," he said.

Aside from Hataman, other lawmakers who authored the resolution are Lanao del Sur Representative Ansaruddin Abdul Malik Adiong, Sulu Representative Munir Arbison, Maguindanao Representative Esmael Mangudadatu, Lanao del Sur Representative Yasser Alonto Balindong, Maguindanano Representative Datu Roonie Sinsuat, Sr., and Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan. --KBK, GMA News