MANILA – A human rights group demanded the immediate release of three lawyers who were detained for alleged obstruction of justice in Makati City.
The Mga Manananggol Laban sa Extrajudicial Killings (Manlaban sa EJKs) on Friday said the arrest of lawyers Romulo Alarkon, Jan Vincent Soliven and Leni Rocha “highlights the complete degradation of law enforcement and the collapse of order in the country.”
The lawyers have all the rights to be present during the search of their client’s bar in Makati.
The Time in Manila bar was searched by officers from the Southern Police District Aug. 11 for allegedly selling party drugs to customers.
“Search by police of private premises, if with color of law, requires witnesses,” the group said.
“Arresting, detaining and charging them, ironically, with obstruction of justice shows how police have become brutal and high-handed in their operations, especially in those involving drugs,” it added.
The three lawyers entered the bar while the police were implementing a search warrant there on Thursday.
The police said the lawyers took pictures and videos of the police operation despite not being authorized.
The lawyers – all from the Desierto & Desierto law firm – were then detained at the lockup cell of the Makati Police Station after they ignored the police telling them to leave the premises.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines said it will file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus to challenge the “questionable arrest and detention” of the lawyers. (With a report from Abogado.com/PN)
