Grenade in closet is suicide, says wife of activist in Calabarzon raid

The wife of an activist narrated how cops allegedly planted evidence, including guns, grenades and documents in their home in Batangas during separate police operations in Calabarzon on Sunday that led to the killing of nine people and the arrest of six others.

In a press conference of the families of the victims on Friday, Anna Baez, wife of Bayan-Batangas coordinator Lino Baez, said it was at 5 a.m. on Sunday when cops surrounded their house.

"Lusot po ang dulo ng baril nila doon sa pintuan namin. Kausap nila 'yung anak ko tsaka ako na kapag daw po hindi namin binuksan eh babarilin kami, sabing ganoon ng pulis," Baez said.

(We can see the barrel of their guns penetrating our door. They were telling me and my son that they will shoot us if we will not let them in)

Baez pleaded to cops to wait for barangay authorities to join the search, but they allegedly refused and forcefully entered their homes.

The police then asked Baez and her children to stay outside while they conduct their "search" which took about one hour.

"Ang ipinagtataka ko po, bakit ang pagkakalkal po nila sa mga gamit namin ay pinili lang nila? 'Yung mga sako ko na andami doon sa aming kusina tsaka doon sa isa kong kuwarto, ang daming sako, mga damit, mga kahon, hindi nila 'yun sinearch," she said.

(I wondered why they chose only several of our belongings during the search. We have plenty of sacks in the kitchen. One of the rooms has plenty of sacks as well, with clothes and boxes, but they did not touch them)

But when authorities searched her own bedroom, she asked if she could record a video as evidence that they found nothing, to which authorities complied.

"Pero noong buksan nila ang aming aparador, nakita ko sa kaniya dahan-dahan lang siyang magbukas na parang may inaalalayan siya. Hanggang sa noong lumabas po ang baril, bigla na lang siya roon lumuwa sa mga damit. Doon na po ako nagulat, ako'y nagwala, pinagmumura ko sila," she said.

(The cops were careful in opening our closet, as if they were doing something to make sure the items do not drop on the ground.  Then, a gun was suddenly seen among the clothes.  I was surpised and mad and cursed the cops)

"Meron pong baril doon sa aking lalagyan ng damit tapos bigla pang may lumuwang granada. Sabi ko 'Hindi po ako maglalagay ng granada diyan kasi yan ay delikado. Ako'y magpapakamatay kung ilalagay ko diyan sa tulugan namin," she said.

(A gun was found in my closet, as well as a grenade. I said 'I will not keep a grenade there as it is dangerous, it's like committing suicide)

Baez said her husband does not keep guns and grenades. 

As she was taking video of the incident, Baez said the police took away her cellphone.  When they returned it, her photos were already deleted.

"Kahit nga 'yung barangay nagpatunay na wala talaga 'yung asawa ko na gamit na ganoon, kahit 'yung mga kapitbahay namin hindi sila naniniwala dahil hindi po talaga kami nag-iingat ng kahit na anong gamit. Kahit balisong hindi yun nagdadala. Wala po talaga kaming baril. Pangako namin 'yan sa inyo," she said.

(Even the barangay could attest that my husband had no such weapons. We do not keep such things. My husband does not even bring a knife with him when going out. We have no guns, that I could assure you.)

According to Casey Cruz, spokesperson of the Bayan-Southern Tagalog group, the Bayan-Batangas coordinator is still being hunted down by authorities.

GMA News Online sought the comment of Police Regional Office 4A director Police Brigadier General Felipe Natividad, but has yet to respond.

Questionable search warrants

For Antonio La Viña, Constitutional Law Professor at the U.P. College of Law., the "bloody Sunday" was a result of questionable search warrants by judges.

"'Yan ang nakakalungkot kasi kaya ka nga may search warrant para sundin 'yung due process pero alam natin sa lahat ng mga eye witnesses na noong pinasok 'yung mga aktibista sa bahay nila, hiniwalay sila sa kanilang mga kamag-anak, pinaluhod, pinahiga at pinagbabaril," he said at a Balitanghali interview.

(That is what is saddening because the purpose of search warrants is for authorities to follow the due process. But we know from accounts of eye witnesses that when activists' houses were raided, the activists were separated from their relatives, asked to kneel or lie down then were shot)

"Hindi karapat-dapat 'yon dahil hindi naman nanlaban 'yung mga tao na 'yon (That was illegal because the activists did not fight back)," La Viña added.—LDF, GMA News