2 policemen hurt; High-powered firearms found inside #36 T. Sora
(Eagle News) — More than 30 expelled members of the Iglesia ni Cristo were rounded up by authorities on Thursday, March 2, after two policemen who were serving a search warrant inside the compound where they lived despite being ejected by a court were shot.
Angel Manalo, Lottie Hemedez and several others were taken into custody by members of the Quezon City Police, who also found a cache of firearms–including an M16, a shotgun, a rifle grenade, and a .cal .40 pistol— inside No. 36 Tandang Sora.
The police had entered the Iglesia ni Cristo-owned property early in the day by virtue of a search warrant issued by a Quezon City court.
The search warrant had been secured by the authorities, after the occupants of the property refused to open their doors to members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit from Camp Karingal on Monday.
Two of the occupants were identified as Jonathan Ledesma and Joseph Sabbaluca, former marines who were earlier reported to have been brought inside 36 Tandang Sora by Capt. Nicanor Faeldon (Full article here –https://www.eaglenews.ph/national/defense-lawyers-bring-ex-military-men-to-incs-t-sora-property/)
The CIDU had only wanted access to the property as they were investigating gunshots fired from inside early that day.
The indiscriminate firing of high-powered firearms had been reported to the police by a frightened resident in the area.
The gunshots had injured two security guards.
“Hindi namin kayo papapasukin!! Papatayin ninyo kami!!” Jenny Wong, one of the expelled INC members, was caught as saying on video.
Several masked men from inside the property were also seen making threatening gestures to people outside on that day.
In critical condition
According to the police, two of their own–P02 Henry Pular and another identified only as P03 Jomar —were shot at during Thursday’s implementation of the search warrant.
Pular is in critical condition at the St. Luke’s Medical Center after he sustained a gunshot wound in the upper right chest and in the stomach, while his colleague sustained one in the foot.
Police said the expelled INC members are in Camp Karingal for questioning, but may face charges if it was found that the firearms did not have the proper documentation.
“Di ko maintindihan. Ang alam ko dinedemolish ang bahay namin,” Manalo insisted when asked why he was being taken into custody.
Bro. Edwil Zabala, spokesperson of the Church, said that the implementation of the search warrant was a “legitimate operation, and so it would be proper if the answers to your queries will come from the police authorities.”
“All I can say is we pray that the police officers injured by the gunfire will speedily recover, and thank them and their co-officers for their professionalism in the performance of their duty,” he said.
The residents of Tandang Sora were already evicted by Judge Anne Perpetual Rivera-Sia of Metropolitan Manila Trial Court Branch 12 in June last year.
The judge’s decision stemmed from the unlawful detainer case filed by the Church in February of the same year against Hemedez and Manalo.
Manalo and Hemedez– who were expelled from the Church in July 2015 for violating biblical doctrine–appealed the decision, but this was denied.
