My Narrative

On January 26,2023 this date made me a big significant and unforgettable

days that happened in my life. Around 3pm in the afternoon more or less, I
was sitting at my desk waiting for customers to buy my veggies that I am
selling. As a vegetable retailer as far as I Know, selling of assorted vegetable
goods like red pepper, tomatoes, squash, and onions are not prohibited since
we have complied all the documents such as business permit. Suddenly,
there was a guy entered in my stall asking the price of onions of how much
per bag and without negative thought I replied and gave the price of
1,700Php. per bag. He then walked out and said “I will be right back” and
then a few minutes passed by this guy was coming back saying that he would
like to buy one bag of onions and gave me 2,000Php., and gave the change
to him the 300php. Right after, I gave the change he then said “MAM DO
NOT GO OUT”. I sat on my desk then asked what’s happening, then many
personnels came in and investigating and looking the onions that I Sell. They
examined and counted my onions, then I go out while they are busy
inspecting my onions. I just roaming around in my stall since I have a lot of
veggies to tend but no one of them explained to me on what’s really
happening. Only just heard from them talking that the onions are smuggled.
And then one of the personnel introduce himself that they are PNP-CIDG he
asked for my identification then I gave my drivers license to him. After that
some personnels coming from different agencies such as Bureau of
Customs (BOC), Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Plants and
Industry (BPI),and Barangays Captain are taking part and signed the seizure
papers. After signing, they got all my onions and put it on their vehicles,
without explaining it to me on what’s happening and because their vehicle
are over loaded so we help them loaded into our vehicles without
hesitations.I thought there were only confiscating my onions and they’re not
telling me that they are going to bring me also to the CIDG office and
detained. I realized only when the one PNP CIDG PERSONNEL;P/MAJ.
Gomera the team leader of the PNP-CIDG MISAMIS ORIENTAL informed
me that they are going to bring me in their office. The CIDG officer refused
telling my violation or even telling the nature of my case. So, without a doubt
I asked my husband to get our car and go over them. Since I knew it in my
mind that I did not commit any crimes or violations against the law. Neither
also heard about the “Miranda doctrine” as I usually heard for every criminal
on/or after the so called buy bust operations. I keep on saying that I’m just a
retailer who selling veggies at my stall in Westbound ,Bulua, Public Martket
I also explained to them and presented all the documents or all government
forms requirements as my proof to them and the establishment is a legit and
selling of vegetables is also legit. When the said PNP-CIDG enforcer invited
me to come together to their office, I just wondering that it was only invitation
asking about my onions since I’m willing to cooperate of whatever
investigation. When we arrived around 5:00 o’clock in afternoon in the PNP-
CIDG office I was very shock because they will not allow me to go out in their
office even I only threw my napkins, in the garbage outside. In fact, the one
of the PNP CIDG personnel who threw my napkins on my behalf. Then, I
lately realized I was a detainee when I was deprived of my liberty. So, I
questioned to the PNP-CIDG team leader P/MAJ. GOMERA by saying that
“Sir why did you deprive my liberty”? Did I commit any violations”? And the
PNP-CIDG P/MAJ. GOMERA replied “yes, you have violations but the
Bureau of Plants and Industry (BPI) only can determine and the one that can
verdict” since they are the one who order to conduct this operations. He
added that, the Bureau of Plants and Industry (BPI) can inform me about the
nature of my case after the examinations of the onions. I sat down and
thinking what’s happened to my kids if I cannot go home. Then the worst
thing that also happened is when the PNP-CIDG forced me to wore the
orange t-shirt holding with a placard indicated my complete name, and dated,
together as my violations and then take a mug shot pictures. So I asking
again to the officer on why I am going to do the things like what usually the
criminals do, since I still don’t have a case? Then again, the CIDG officer
who made the report answered me that it was a protocol to take the mugshot
as their record. I obeyed even out of my curiosity by saying that “ BANTAY
BITAW SIR HA BASIN MA POST NI SA FACEBOOK O MA NEWS KO
ANE NGA NAKA SUL-OB MURA KO ANEG CRIMINAL” . Then the PNP-
CIDG officer made a promise by saying “MAM PWEDE NIMU
MAKASUHAN KUNG KINSA ANG MAG POST KY CONFIDENTIAL NI”. I
believe to them at first even I know that they already violated my rights as a
human. They are law enforcer so I thought that its confidential that is why I
believed for whatever they said to me. When my husband call our lawyer
friend and asking for help to stand as to custody so that I can go home just
for a night for our children that might waiting for us and not sleeping since
we did not arrived in time. But even our lawyer friend is no effect no matter
how hardly he explained and persuading the officer to undertake a custody
just for overnight and willing to undersigned for whatever conditions or even
to disbar him from his profession if he fail to return back in the Office of the
CIDG, early in the morning as for favor to the children, but still the PNP-CIDG
did not permitted. Since there’s nothing to do except to accept the facts that
I am a detainee, together with my husband who also joined me in my
detention on January 26,2023 at the office of the PNP-CIDG.
On January 27,2023 in the morning, at the CIDG office I heard that they talk
about inquest proceedings while waiting to be brought to the Office of the
Prosecutors. I still keep on asking to myself on why there is inquest
proceedings, since I did nothing and I did not commit any violations that
against the law. And at 10:00 o’clock in the morning more or less of the same
date, together with the CIDG officers when we arrived at the Office of the
Prosecutors while I sat outside some escort of CIDG personnels went inside
the prosecutors’ offices to subscribe of the case filed against me. But when
they came out, they said that we are going to the Bureau of Plants and
Industry office because the prosecutor did not sign or even made a resolution
after reading the facts of their allegations. According to the one CIDG officer,
the prosecutor give instruction to bring the case to the Bureau of Plant and
industry (BPI) because the prosecutor did see any violation since I presented
my business permit as my only proof that I complied with all the requirements
and no law that prohibits the selling of onions.
When we arrived in the office of the Bureau of Plant and Industry, the bureau
officer gave me some point of view where in the violation he mentioned was
not part of selling of onions and not a violations as a legit entrepreneurs
because I have a business permit. I ask then again the BPI officer by saying
that “ SIR WHAT IS MY CASE SINCE NOW YOU KNOW THAT I AM A
RETAILER, AND I AM NOT A SMUGGLER, AND I ALSO PRESENTED TO
YOU ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE” to certify that our business
is buy and sell, SO NOW SIR I ASKED YOU WHAT IS MY CASE? After
the BPI cannot answer about the nature of my case, but our case will be
reported to MANILA and he just wait for the verdict from the HEAD OFFICE.
Then the PNP CIDG issued a piece of paper as a certification with a title “
RELEASED FROM CUSTODY” indicated of all government agencies that
took part of the operations signed in the office of the Bureau of Plants and
Industry Office, of the same date of January 27, 2023.
On the other hand, after the released I went to church just to thanks God for
protecting me in everything then after I made rest. While resting, my cousin,
aunties, friends from other places keep calling me and some of them was
crying because they saw the news report from the national T.V. and without
my knowledge that the CIDG team leader PNP-CIDG P/MAJ. GOMERA was
interviewed by one of the National T.V. reporter of “ GMA NETWORKS ONE
MINDANAO NEWS” with malice give a statement while interviewed by the
reporter person who known as “JAMES PAULO YAP” a one Mindanao news
reporter exclusively aired and labeled my name as smuggler, with mugshot
picture, with buy-video and showing confiscated onions commenting that the
confiscations was made at the warehouse. And because of that, I was very
shocked, feeling destroyed, besmirch reputation, I feel frustration and feeling
that they ruin my dignity, I experience sleepless night , anxiety, and sick for
almost 2 weeks, and keep on questioning to myself on why they do that to
me. I don’t have a case but why they aired the in news reports in the national
television without getting my side. The legacy that I can gave to my children
was ruined because of what the reporters and CIDG officers did. But as a
mother, I have to keep to be strong for my children and I still hoping that the
GMA networks and the reporter Mr. PAULO YAP will correct it, the people
will listened once they heard my side. I got a fever that last for almost 2
weeks, my body was aching, I feel devastated and even lost my appetite in
eating. I always question myself that I am a good person why they treated
me in this way. I suffered a lot and even my children feel traumatize, they will
not allow me to go outside because they are afraid that there mother cannot
went home again and everyday they on keep asking me on saying that “DIBA
NAY DILI MAN KA BAD? DIBA NAY, AS YOU TOLD ME ONLY THE BAD
GUY WILL PUT INTO JAIL, AND THE POLICE IS PROTECTOR SA
PEOPLE? I HEARD SOME GOSSIP THAT NANAY WAS ARRESTED BY
THE POLICE, THEY SAID THAT NANAY IS IN JAIL? And because of this
several questions I asked to my husband to just give me one last chance and
to talk to the reporter persuaded him to correct only his report even in form
of “erratum” and I thought we agree because MR. JAMES PAULO YAP, a
reporter from GMA NETWORKS of ONE MINDANAO NEWS made a
promise that he will do as what is agreed, but unfortunately, MR. JAMES
PAULO YAP, reporter from ONE MINDANAO NEWS REPORTER in GMA
NETWORK STATION, failed his promise and despite of many demand
including the GMA STATION are not willing to cooperate. That is why I
decided to file criminal and administrative charges against them to get back
my honor, my dignity. I want justice to clear my name as my answer to the
questions of my children and to set an example for the law enforcers and
media to be fair.

WYNLOVE P. LASTIMOSA