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Solon seeks probe into cop's letter asking names of lawyers representing suspected communists
By ANNA FELICIA BAJO,GMA NewsDeputy Speaker and Cagayan De Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Monday sought for an investigation into the request of the Calbayog City police's relieved intelligence chief of a list of legal counsels representing suspected communist personalities.
In a press statement, Rodriguez said the move of Police Lieutenant Fernando Calabria Jr. was "improper, alarming and violates the duty of lawyers to render legal service to any person needing it."
The lawmaker said a House inquiry into the matter would help in determining who directed Calabria to ask Calbayog City Regional Trial Court for a list of lawyers of the suspected communist rebels. Rodriguez believes that Calabria did not act on his own will.
"Lt. Calabria claimed that he was just following an order from ‘higher-ups.’ Who in the hierarchy of the PNP gave such directive? Why was the order issued? What was their goal?” Rodriguez said.
He stressed that lawyers representing suspected communists did nothing wrong as they have a mandate to defend their clients, "who in the first place did not violate the law by just being communists, unless they committed other offenses."
Aside from relieving Calabria
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Eleazar emphasized that the PNP leadership did not issue any such directive, "and will never tolerate such unprofessional method of information-gathering."
He also apologized to all members of the legal community over the incident.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, wants to find out if similar requests were made by police officers in other areas.
“We have to find that out from the PNP and from the Supreme Court. Any judge who has received a similar legally questionable solicitation should now report it to the Supreme Court,” Rodriguez said.
The Supreme Court confirmed that the Calbayog City RTC had received Calabria's request but “no action has been taken on the request.” —KG, GMA News