By Raymund Antonio and Liezle Basa Inigo
Militant farmer’s group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that combined forces of the police and military raided the house of a member of its regional chapter in Cagayan Valley early Wednesday morning.
Joint operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 2 (CIDG -RFU2 ) led by Regional Chief Col. Edwin C. Balles, Police Regional Office 2 (PRO2) , and other law enforcement units including Baggao PNP raided the residence of Isabelo "Buting" Adviento, chairperson of Caguimungan Cagayan Chapter in Brgy. Carupian Baggao Cagayan Wednesday morning.
Adviento is the leader of DANGGAYAN, the regional chapter of KMP. He is also a coordinator of Anakpawis Partylist-Cagayan Valley.
The raid also resulted in the seizure of one unit MACII Uzi Cal. 9mm with SN 169716; one piece steel magazine for MACII Uzi Cal. 9mm loaded with five live ammunitions; sixty pieces live ammunitions for Cal. 7.62 mm for M14 rifle; twenty pieces live ammunition for cal. 5.56 mm for M16 rifle; one hand grenade ; two. rifle grenade ; and one improvised Explosive Device (IED Landmine).
During the implementation of the search warrant, Adviento was not in his residence as he is currently involved in the ongoing relief operations in Cagayan.
Richard Dagohoy, a member of Baggao Farmers Association, was arrested by the authorities.
The KMP said Adviento is a “repeated victim of red-tagging.”
According to the KMP, almost a hundred armed soldiers arrived at Adviento’s residence. They reportedly destroyed the gate, forcibly entered the premises, and ordered everyone in the house to go out.
The raid took place after the Senate’s latest hearing on red-tagging and President Duterte classifying the Makabayan bloc as communists and legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines.