The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) has denounced the police raid conducted by joint operatives of Bulacan Police Provincial Office (BPPO) Intelligence Unit and Malolos City Police at the house of a newsman on Wednesday night allegedly for illegal possession of firearms.
It was learned that the said operatives at around 7:30 PM swooped down at the house of Orlan Mauricio, correspondent of Manila Standard and a lifetime member of NPC located in No. 43, Golden Street, Felicisima Village and occupant of No 44, Cocoon Resort Green Street, Felicisima Village in Barangay Mojon in Malolos City armed with two search warrants issued by Hon. Presiding Judge Nemesio Manlangit, MTC Branch 2, City of Malolos, Bulacan dated 23 September 2020 for illegal possession of firearms or Violation of Section 28, RA 10591 against Mauricio’s son identified as Oliver Paul Mauricio alias “Sampaul”.
NPC Vice President Paul Gutierrez in his social media post, NPC denounced “in the strongest possible term, the complicity, wittingly or unwittingly, of the Bulacan Police under Col. Lawrence Cajipe, and the local municipal court, over their participation in the flagrant violation of the civil rights of Mauricio for political ends.”
However, no items or articles subject of the search warrant were found but recovered two small scissors; one red lighter; one small burner; one used aluminum foil with traces/residue of suspected “shabu”; five pieces crumpled aluminum foil inside an electric kettle box; and one jumbo roll of aluminum foil that were allegedly chanced upon in plain view of police operatives inside a printing office located inside the compound.
Mauricio said the “recovered” evidences were “planted” and that he is preparing to file charges against the police “raiding” team as some of valuable items were also missing when the operatives left the premises.
Cajipe said, the implementation and execution of the said search warrants were done in accordance to proper procedure.
“The subject’s father, his lawyer together with a Barangay official witnessed the conduct of the search and thereafter pertinent documents were signed and issued,” Cajipe said.