Arquillanos to question warrant, arrest in court

THE camp of San Francisco, Camotes Mayor Aly Arquillano and Vice Mayor Alfredo “Al” Arquillano Jr. will question the legality of the issuance of the search warrant and the arrest made by the police against them earlier this week.

Retired Judge Meinrado Paredes, the Arquillanos’ legal counsel, said they will file the pleading before the court in Danao City next week.

“With the respect to the guilt or innocence of the accused, only the trial court can decide with finality. That is why we didn’t ask for a preliminary investigation because it will just delay the case. We want to fast track it, so we will just question it in court,” Paredes said.

He did not further elaborate on their next legal move so as not to preempt the flow of the case.

Paredes along with members of the Arquillanos family will hold a news conference on the arrest and allegations against the two officials on Sunday, April 7.

Last Thursday, April 4, members of the Provincial Intelligence Branch and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Cebu Provincial Police Office raided the houses of the mayor and the vice mayor in Barangay Poblacion.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Leopoldo Cañete, operatives arrested the two officials after firearms and explosives were allegedly found in their homes.

The two officials were charged with illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of explosives.

No bail was recommended. The brothers will remain detained at the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Cebu City until their transfer to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center on Monday, April 8.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale saw the Arquillanos’ arrest as setting a precedent to harassment of allies of her political party Bakud.