CEBU CITY, Philippines — The family of Carmilo Tabada, the barangay councilor who was arrested in Barangay Poblacion in Trinidad town in Bohol province on June 25, has denied the allegations that the barangay councilor was a member of the communist terrorist group, New People’s Army, and leader of the Tabada crime group.
Maricel Tabada, Carmilo’s niece, said in a phone interview with CDN Digital on Saturday, June 26, that all the allegations against her uncle were untrue.
“Questionable kaayo na namo og dakong bakak ang ilang pasangil batok sa among pamilya anang Tabada crime group nga dili man gyud na siya tinuod. Wala man gyud na gidungog amoang pamilya kabahin ana nga mga krimen nga gibuhat diri sa Bohol,” Tabada said.
(The allegations against our family about the Tabada crime group are questionable and a big lie. That is not true. Our family has never been known or linked to that kind of crime here in Bohol.)
Allegedly planted
She also claimed that the two unlicensed firearms with ammunition, a hand grenade, and subversive documents confiscated during the June 25 operation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) operatives were allegedly planted.
Tabada claimed that the 21-year-old daughter of Carmilo allegedly saw two CIDG-7 personnel allegedly placing something under Carmilo’s bed when they served the search warrant against Carmilo at past 1 a.m. on June 25.
Tabada also claimed that finding a hand grenade on the cabinet amid the face masks of Carmilo was questionable, considering that Carmilo had a minor son in the house.
CIDG-7 to issue statement on Monday
When sought for comment, Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, CIDG-7 chief, said that they would give their statement regarding the Tabada family’s claims in a press briefing on Monday, June 28.
According to the CIDG-7 in its report, that Carmilo Tabada was allegedly the leader of the Tabada crime group, who was allegedly engaged in gun-running activities in the province.
The CIDG-7 report also claimed that Carmilo Tabada was allegedly a supporter of the NPA Bohol Party Committee.
READ: FARDEC statement condemning Carmilo Tabada’s arrest
Tabada admitted that Carmilo was an active member of the Farmers Development Center (FARDEC), an organization that assisted farmers in the province since 1992.
However, Tabada said that her uncle became inactive after he was elected as a barangay councilor of Barangay Poblacion of Trinidad town from 2016 until the present.
“Ang akoang uyoan, aktibo na siya sa FARDEC, hugpong na sila sa mag-uuma nga nangita’g panginabuhian,” Tabada said.
(My uncle was an active member of FARDEC, a group of farmers, who find ways to have a livelihood.)
“Naa na silay establishment sama sa rice mill para gyud sa mag-uuma aron dili na sila maglisod sa ilahang ani. Mao ra na. Wala na silay lain. Sa kanang gipasangil nga apil sa kalihokan sa NPA, wala, bakak na siya,” she said.
(They have a rice mill for farmers so that they will not find it hard to harvest rice. That is the only thing. There is no other thing at all. The allegation that he is a member of the NPA, that is all a lie.)
READ: Pastor, Brgy. Councilor who are alleged members of crime group nabbed in Bohol
Death threats, search warrant
She also explained why they did not tell the whereabouts of Carmilo to the CIDG-7 operatives during the serving of the search warrant.
She said that they did not tell the CIDG-7 operatives about his whereabouts because they were cautious especially since Carmilo had allegedly been receiving death threats for quite a while now.
She said that there were three houses in their compound and that the 40 personnel allegedly forcibly entered their gate at past 1 a.m. that day.
She said that she asked for a search warrant from them, but they allegedly did not show her any warrant.
“Kaning amoang balay, mga 10 to 15 steps away sa balay sa akoang uyoan nga si Carmilo. Tulo mi ka bay ana nga tupad,”
(My house is just 10 to 15 steps away from the house of my uncle, Carmilo. Our three houses are located beside each other.)
“Didto sila una nanuktok sa amoang balay unya nangita sila ni Carmilo. Amoang gipangutana og kinsa sila. Wala sila mutubag og unsa ilang tuyo. Pero kami aware na gyud mi nga ang akoang uyoan, naa na gyud ni syay mga death threats,” she said.
(They first knocked at our house and asked where Carmilo was. We asked who they were. They did not answer and did not tell us what they wanted from my uncle. But we are aware of the situation of my uncle, that he had been receiving death threats.)
“Maong conscious mi og kinsay mangita niya. Ni force entry sila. Ako sila gipangutana og asa ilang search warrant usa (ta) nako sila pasudlon pero wa silay gipakita nako nga search warrant,” she said.
(That is why we make it a point to ask who were looking for him. They forcibly entered our home. I asked them where their search warrant was before I would let them enter, but they did not show me any search warrant.)
After our house, she said that they allegedly entered the next house and allegedly destroyed the gate.
She said when they reached Carmilo’s house, they allegedly forcibly destroyed his front door and forcibly entered his house.
CHR help sought
With this, Tabada said that they had already sent an email to the Commission on Human Rights seeking their help and give justice on what the authorities had allegedly done to her uncle.
Tabada also said that they were preparing to file complaints against the law enforcers, whom she claimed illegally searched their area.
/dbs