Sen. Panfilo Lacson. APPLICANT FILE
Senator Panfilo Lacson defended the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the arrest of three lawyers after an anti-drug operation in a bar in Makati City Tuesday, and said that the public should not "speed or too harsh" the police officers to condemn.
"Let's not be too hasty or harsh in condemning the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) without getting their side of the story, there's something like a suspicion of regularity," said Lacson, who led the PNP from 1999 to 2001, in a statement.
Last Thursday, three lawyers were detained by the police for alleged interference in the execution of a search warrant at a bar.
READ: Lawyers supervise drug research; IBP on the leg 3 makati lawyers beaten with obstruction of justice rap
They were released after 24 hours.
Head of the police, director general Oscar Albayalde, also defended the arrest and said that the police would not save anyone who violates the law.
READ: Lawyers of Makati bar released after 24 hours of detention Albayalde about the arrest of lawyers: nobody is above the law
The senator noted that during the robbery, videos showed that the NCRPO officials asked the lawyers who they represent and arrested them after they could not give clear answers.
The video's, Lacson added, also showed that one of the policemen explained to the lawyers that they entered the scene and took video's without prior permission and this constituted an obstacle to the right.
The lawyers said they represented one of the owners of the establishment but did not give names, he added.
Lacson further noted that the report from the NCRPO team indicated that the three attorneys in the building were running around, on each floor photo's names and items touched "as if they were doing their own search without authority", what the evidence may have infected.
In taking the cudgels for the PNP in this case, Lacson pointed out that the leadership of the PNP has shown that he is sincere in clearing up his ranks of villains and it deserves at least a chance on the side of hear the case. / CBB
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