NEGROS Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) director Romeo Baleros revealed Tuesday, November 12, that they are eyeing kidnapping charges against some progressive groups.
Police Colonel Baleros said that kidnapping charges may be filed against the militant groups if the minors they have taken into custody are not returned to their parents.
This came after it was discovered that at least one group had taken one or two of the minors into custody after they were initially returned back to their parents following the raids on progressive group offices in Bacolod City’s Barangay Bata.
In his weekly press conference, Baleros pointed out “they are not considering the agony of their parents, they are longing for their children”.
Baleros said it can be considered as kidnapping when you prevent a person from seeing their families or in this case going up against the will of the minors’ parents.
The Nocppo director appealed to the involved minors to return to their parents, while he urged the parents to file a kidnapping complaint against the groups if they continue to refuse to give the minors back to their custody.
“Just give one or two sentences in their affidavit and we’ll charge them, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will be the lead agency to conduct the investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile, after receiving reports that the progressive groups have also setup a fundraising drive on social media in order to gather money to pay for the bail of detained activists, Baleros urged the public “not to give even a single centavo.”
“If you give even a centavo, you are also helping them to continue their underground movement against the government,” he said.
He added that eight of the activists who were detained inside the Nocppo headquarters at Camp Alfredo Montelibano, four had already received their commitment orders and were transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, while they are expecting the commitment orders for the remaining activists within the week.
Last month, authorities raided the offices of various progressive groups in Bacolod City after intelligence reports surfaced that the offices were allegedly stockpiling firearms and being used for recruitment and training for the New People’s Army.
The raid also resulted in the rescue of 15 minors.
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate slammed both the army and police, calling the operations “harassment” and claimed the firearms, and explosives were all “planted.” (TDE)