A legislator on Wednesday asked the House of Representatives to investigate what he said was an illegal raid conducted at the property of Mayor Jasmin and Vice Mayor Glicerio Monton Jr. of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.
In filing House Resolution 2349, Agusan Rep. Erlpe John Amante asked the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into what he described as a “deplorable incident.”
Amante, a member of the majority bloc for the House dangerous drugs committee, said that at 2 am on Nov. 28, Agusan del Norte policemen raided the house of the Monton couple but found no contraband or any illicit items in the premises.
The raid, Amante said, was done without the authority of a court-issued search warrant.
However, Amante said that two hours after the first team of policemen entered the residential compound, a second team of police officers, this time bearing the search warrant, entered the same premises.
The second police team, he said “discovered 12 sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and a hand grenade after conducting its own search.”
Amante, who also raised the issue in a privilege speech, believes that the second police team planted the drugs and hand grenade in the local officials’ residential compound noting that, “the difference in the entry times and the conduct of the police teams are highly suspect and point to a likely incident of planting evidence.”
Amante said the Monton couple, “now suffer harassment for no reason other than their political affiliation.”
“It is high time for the legislative department to review and reexamine substantive and procedural laws against unreasonable and illegal searches and seizures– including but not limited to the application of Article 129 of the Revised Penal Code,” Amante said.