Lawyers monitoring PNP search nabbed for obstruction of justice

Makati police have arrested and detained three lawyers who were monitoring the officers search of a popular bar that was raided over the weekend.

Lawyers Leni Rocel Rocha, Jan Vincent Sambrano, and Romulo Bernard Alarkon were arrested at the Time in Manila bar on Thursday afternoon for "obstruction of justice" and for "intimidating" cops implementing a search warrant, according to the Southern Police District said.

The lawyers are undergoing inquest on Friday afternoon at the Makati City Prosecutor's Office.

Asked for a statement, they said "No comment."

Police raided the establishment last Saturday, arrested 31 employees for allegedly supplying and distributing illegal drugs, and recovered a few pieces of alleged ecstasy tablets, several plastic sachets of alleged cocaine and shabu, and drug paraphernalia. Over a hundred people were rounded up.

"While the orderly search is ongoing, the three personalities who claimed to be lawyers of one of the business owners of the bar entered the premises of the bar, took several picture and videos of the scene, intimidated the members of the searching team without proper and prior coordination," the police said.

Police investigator Wilfredo Alvarez said the three were also arrested for disobedience and resistance to authorities and violation of a city ordinance that bars civilians from crossing police lines. —NB, GMA News