Involved in radio station raid: SWAT members ousted

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — After the controversial raid done inside the premises of Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo station, the eight members of Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO)’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team were relieved from their post.

ICPO director, Sr. Supt. Ruperto Floro, over the weekend confirmed the reassignment of the eight SWAT operatives following an order from Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., director of the Police Regional Office-6.

SWAT members—PO1s Michael Binobo, the team leader during the raid, Christopher Castañeda, Rene Diane, Melvin Deypalubos, Ravelo Acosta, El Abastillas, Johven Mark Causing and Amable Asturias—are now assigned to the PRO-6 Regional Headquarters Support Group at Camp Delgado in this city.

“I think that’s part of the move while they are subjected to a pre-charge investigation,” Floro said, adding that Cruz’s decision was a matter of command discretion.

The SWAT team’s mess stemmed after they responded to an early morning call for police assistance placed by two personnel of Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo at around 2 a.m. last August 25.

The two informed the police about people, allegedly involved in a shooting and stabbing fracas at a nearby bar, who, at that time, allegedly entered and sought refuge at their station located at Carlos Uy Building along B. Aquino Ave.,in Mandurriao district of this city.

Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo management complained that SWAT operatives did an illegal search and ordered the personnel themselves to strip their upper garments.

But ICPO justified that what the SWAT personnel did was part of their standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of the radio personnel themselves.

The Iloilo Press Club and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines however denounced the “excessive use of force and unreasonable assault” by the SWAT against the radio station personnel.

Malacañang, for its part, said it will look into the SWAT raid at the radio station, while Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, chair of public order and safety committee, vowed to investigate the incident. (FREEMAN)