THE Bagong Tarragona Movement (BTM), a political group from Davao Oriental, has condemned what it calls the "baseless and illegal" arrests of its supporters by the Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office, executed by the Tarragona Municipal Police Station.
BTM claims that at least 10 members of the Kanato Ini Team, supporters of the influential Dayanghirang family, were arrested on the morning of May 5, 2025, in Barangay Tubaon, Maitom. The group alleges that no arrest warrants were presented during the operation.
A video circulating online shows lawyer Mark Mascan Virgilio confronting police officers on-site, demanding to see arrest warrants and questioning the legality of the arrests. In the footage, Virgilio states that the officers claimed they would “just file charges in court,” without providing any legal documentation.
BM Kaka Bulaong, a provincial board member and mayoral candidate for Tarragona, confirmed that those arrested were key supporters of their campaign.
“They were planning to attend our miting de avance tomorrow, May 6, Tuesday, at the Tarragona Evacuation Complex starting at 1 p.m.,” Bulaong said.
Bulaong, along with lawyer Virgilio, later went to the police station and planned a vigil outside in protest, calling the arrests a clear violation of their supporters' rights.
BTM has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, condemning the arrests as harassment and political intimidation.
SunStar Davao reached out to the Tarragona Municipal Police Station for comment but has yet to receive a response. DEF