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PNP troops ruin Kalinga house

BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 23) — Elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Kalinga illegally searched and destroyed the property of Arturo Arcio Sr., 65 and a resident of Mapaway, Ipil, Tabuk, Kalinga.

An eye witness, who requested anonymity, said that 19 armed men in PNP uniform forcibly opened the house of Arcio at around 5:00 a.m. on September 14. He added that the PNP elements destroyed two padlocks at the front door, dismantled the walls of the house and scattered the belongings including food supply of the Arcio family.

The witness also said that nobody was in the house when the PNP searched it. He added that the Arcio family arrived after the PNP team had left.

The witness added that the PNP men walked past Arcio’s newly planted rice field destroying the crops.

Luis Arcio, the victim’s son, said he saw the PNP elements when he was about 400 meters away from his father’s house.

A Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA)-Kalinga report stated that the victim reported the incident to Bombo Radio-Tuguegarao, which aired it on September 16. The report added that the PNP replaced the padlocks they destroyed on September 17.

Kalinga PNP Provincial Director James Dugao, who was later interviewed by the said radio station admitted that his men searched Arcio’s house because they were looking for one of the victim’s sons, who was allegedly charged with murder.

Arcio argued that even if the PNP is looking for his son, they should have not forced opened and destroyed his house. He added that his son was not in his house when the PNP searched it; in fact no one was in the house. # Via NORDIS

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