Brice Hernandez's camp files writ of amparo after Pasay jail transfer

The camp of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez on Thursday sought a writ of amparo from a Pasay court following his transfer to the Pasay City Jail, a move his camp reiterated was “highly suspect.”

Atty. Ernest Levanza, Hernandez’s legal counsel, filed the petition at the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112. They are asking for a temporary protection order and for his client to be placed under the witness protection program.

“He is not yet accused of anything nor convicted. Tapos dinadala natin sa Pasay City Jail? What signal is the Senate trying to impress?” Levanza said in an ambush interview.

(My client is not—he is not yet accused of anything nor convicted. Then we bring him to Pasay City Jail? What signal is the Senate trying to impress?)

“Here is my client, courageously divulging details, and yet he was brought to Pasay City  Jail,” he added. 

The lawyer said Hernandez had been receiving threats prior to his revelations before the House of Representatives. 

However, he said this grew worse after he tagged some senators in alleged anomalous flood control projects. He later appealed to the House not to be brought back to the Senate.

Due to this, he was transferred to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center.

On Wednesday, he was transferred to the Pasay City Jail after senators debated on where he should be detained. 

“The PNP Custodial Facility is actually a better option. We don’t even understand why it has to be here in the Pasay City Jail. In fact, doon sa debate… There was never an instance that Pasay City Jail was even an option. The debate was with regard to whether the Senate should have custody,” he said. 

The writ of amparo is available to persons whose rights to life, liberty, and security are being threatened or violated by public officials, employees, or private individuals or entities. It covers extralegal killings and enforced disappearances, or threats. —VAL, GMA Integrated News