AN OFFICIAL of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bacolod City said it’s not normal for a police official to put under his custody the evidence confiscated from operations.
NBI-Bacolod head Renoir Baldovino said Sunday, September 24, the supposed safekeeping of Senior Police Officer 1 Joshua Barile, head of explosive section of Regional Civil Security Unit-Negros, of the cache of firearms, explosives, and ammunition was “highly irregular.”
On Friday, joint operatives of the NBI, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Philippine National Police raided the house of Barile at Regent Pearl Homes in Alijis Village.
They recovered more than 50 firearms, including M16 and M4 assault rifles, four grenades, more than 1,000 assorted ammunitions, and a sachet containing suspected "shabu" (methamphetamine hydrochloride).
Barile, who was tagged in the killing of two family members of Negros Island top drug suspect Ricky Serenio, said in media interviews that the recovered firearms were evidence from the raids conducted by his unit, and these were placed in his house for safekeeping.
Baldovino debunked his statement stressing that Barile has no documents to support his claim.
“Granting that those were confiscated firearms, it’s highly irregular to safe keep these firearms in his house,” the NBI official said.
Baldovino added: “In the absence of documents that they are legally confiscated from the raids, we will treat these firearms as illegal.”
Charges for illegal possession of firearms, explosives, and ammunition were filed against Barile before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday.
Baldovino said they will also file the drug charges against the policeman today.
Barile also said the grenades and drugs found in his house were “planted,” a claim dismissed by Baldovino.
Barile is also facing two murder complaints before the City Prosecutor’s Office after he was linked to the killing of the father and younger brother of Serenio, the alleged bagman of Berya drug group.
The police officer vehemently denied the accusations against him.