(Eagle News) — The Commission on Human Rights has initiated a probe into the arrest of three lawyers for alleged obstruction of justice and intimidation during an inspection of a bar in Makati on Thursday, Aug. 16,
In a radio interview on Saturday, Aug. 18, CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said the inquiry into the arrest of Lenie Rocel Rocha, 25; Jan Vicente Sambrano, 32; and Romulo Bernardo Alarkon, 33; during a police inspection of the Time in Manila bar was being done “motu proprio,” or even without any request from any party.
Days before the inspection, police already seized ecstasy tablets and other drug paraphernalia, among others, from the bar.
“Kung nagagawa ito sa mga abugado ano pa kaya sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan,” she said.
On Thursday, Rocha, Sambrano and Alarkon were nabbed for “entering the premises of the bar, taking several pictures and videos of the place of search, and intimidating the members of the searching team without proper and prior coordination,” the police said.
“The lawyers also failed to present any authorization from the bar owners whom they are (supposedly) representing,” the police added.
Rocha, Sambrano and Alarkon, who were detained at the Makati Police, were charged for obstruction of justice, resistance and disobedience, constructive possession of illegal drugs and for violating an ordinance that bans people from going beyond a police line.
The Makati Prosecutors Office, however, ordered them released pending further investigation.
It had said there was a need to specify the acts supposedly committed by the three in relation to the constructive possession of illegal drugs charge filed by the police against them.
