The House Committee on Public Order and Safety has detained eight police officers for 30 days, citing them for contempt in connection with an illegal raid on the residence of House witness Renelyn Rianzales.
The officers cited are Capt. Aaron Herrera, Master Sgt. Richie Yuayan, Staff Sgt. Henry Mago, Staff Sgt. Junar Cabalsa, and Corporals Rainier Zaballa, Allan Abdon, Wilson Bantilan, and Rene John Bartolata.
This follows the contempt citation of their superior, Lucena City police chief Lt. Col. Reynaldo Reyes, on May 28.
“We are not against the whole organization… alam ko medyo nasasaktan ka [referring to PNP Regional Director (RD) Paul Kenneth Lucas] rin sa mga sitwasyon nating ito. But we need to eradicate mga ‘bad eggs’ sa organisasyon. Ito ang nakakasira sa kapulisan. And we are dead serious in trying to do our jobs as well,” said Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety.
The hearing is based on House Resolution 147, filed by Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” Suarez of Quezon province.
The resolution calls for an investigation into violence, intimidation, and harassment against Rianzales, who is a witness in a case of alleged irregularities during the 2023 barangay elections.
The committee reviewed CCTV footage showing men exiting a vehicle and approaching Rianzales’ house.
When asked to confirm if they were the men in the footage, Herrera invoked his right against self-incrimination.
Fernandez cautioned, “Ayan ang hindi niyo dapat ginagawa sa hearing. We are just in aid of legislation. Mag da-doubt na agad kami sa mga lengguwahe mo.”
Suarez added, “You are not incriminating yourself; we are just asking questions.”
The officers involved could not provide pre-plan documentation for the supposed buy-bust operation.
“Kung ganyan ang ginagawa ng lahat ng kapulisan natin sa buong Pilipinas, mawiwindang ang mga kababayan natin dahil nag-ooperate kayo without the proper documentation being planned,” Fernandez said.
Lucas noted that the penalty for grave misconduct could lead to dismissal from service.
The police officers’ repeated attempts to use their right against self-incrimination led Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano to propose they be cited in contempt for “refusing to answer relevant questions in this committee.”
The committee also discussed alleged irregularities in the 2023 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay elections, illegal buy-bust operations by PNP Regional Office 4A officers, and other alleged misconduct by the PNP in San Pedro, Laguna.