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SC confirms letter-request of Calbayog City police for RTC to give list of lawyers representing terror groups

Philippines | National

SC confirms letter-request of Calbayog City police for RTC to give list of lawyers representing terror groups

By Rey G. Panaligan

The Supreme Court (SC) confirmed on Friday afternoon, March 12, the request of the Calbayog City police to the city’s regional trial court (RTC) for a list of lawyers representing members of the communist terror groups.

(MANILA BULLETIN)

SC Spokesperson lawyer Brian Keith F. Hosaka said: “Yes, the Office of the Clerk of Court of the RTC Calbayog confirmed receipt of the letter request this afternoon (March 12). However, no action has been taken on the request.”

In a one-page letter, the Calbayog City police said its request was in “compliance from higher PNP (Philippine National Police) offices regarding lawyers who represent Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) personalities in Court.”

In a statement, Edre U. Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) described the request unbelievable “for its imprudence.”

“But then again, it fits into the puzzle on the who, what, why, and how of these attacks. The only remaining question is when and where," Olalia said.

He added that “this audacious request that is hard to refuse is the smoke in the gun traceable to the hand that pulled the trigger and the enablers of various attacks against lawyers especially human rights lawyers representing clients the State does not like."

The NUPL had said that a total of 61 lawyers, including prosecutors and members of the judiciary, have been killed since President Duterte assumed office in 2016.

Early this month, lawyer Angelo Karlo Guillen, a counsel in one of the 37 cases filed with the SC against the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act, was assaulted in Iloilo City. He survived the attack.

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