The Integrated Bar of the Philippines said the arrests of three lawyers in a Makati bar raid “erodes the Constitution’s guarantee of due right for every person.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 21, the IBP said “The arrest and detention of three lawyers for alleged obstruction of justice and the filing of charges for ‘constructive possession’ of illegal drugs, when they had every right to represent their client and be present to observe and record the implementation of a search warrant, raises grave concerns for the rule of law in the Philippines.
The IBP added, “Such treatment of lawyers erodes the Constitution’s guarantee of due process for every person – be they our son or daughter, teenagers who violated the curfew, or those suspected of committing a crime. Such treatment also violates the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. ”
On August 11, lawyers Lenie Rocel E. Rocha, Jan Vincent S. Soliven and Romulo Bernard B. Alarcon were arrested during a sting operation in relation to the Time bar raid in Makati. The police claimed that the lawyers disrespected and intimidated them. The Makati Police soon after filed cases against the lawyers, which included Obstruction of Justice and Constructive possession.
IBP announced last week that they will file a petition for habeas corpus for the illegal detainment of the three lawyers. — Gillian M. Cortez

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