CEBU CITY – Lawyer Collin Rosell, the controversial former city administator here, was freed after spending a night in jail.
ROSELL (Cebu City PIO file)
Rosell posted P30,000 bail for usurpation of authority and another P3,000 for resisting arrest.
He was arrested on Friday afternoon, Nov. 8, after he and supporters of dismissed Mayor Michael Rama stormed the City Hall and called for the reinstatement of this city's former chief executive.
Rosell was eventually arrested when he allegedly issued a memorandum informing City Hall workers that he was back as city administrator.
In the middle of last Friday's commotion at the City Hall, the public information office released a letter showing that Rosell's coterminous designation as city administrator was not renewed after Rama was dismissed from the service by the Office of the Ombudsman for nepotism.
After he was released from jail past noon Saturday, Rosell said he will file counter-charges against those behind his arrest.
Rosell did not mention any names but it was Police Col. Antonietto Cañete, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), who led the arrest and even tried to personally put the cuffs on the lawyer.
He said the warrantless arrest was invalid, and his release was even delayed as charges were not immediately filed against him.
"I suffered too much harassment. They really even wanted me to languish in that smelly jail," said Rosell, who was detained at the Waterfront Police Station.
The CCPO insisted that the arrest was valid.
Police Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO deputy city director for operations, the arresting team acted on complaint of city administrator Kristine Joyce Batucan.
Macatangay said Batucan who went to the Waterfront Police Station to report that Rosell arrived at the City Hall to take over.
Rosell was arrested while doing paperwork inside a room where Rama used to hold office.
He even refused to go with the police, saying he was busy at the time.
Rosell insisted that Rama remains the mayor of the city as he has yet to receive a copy of the dismissal order from the Ombudsman.
Explaining the validity of Rosell's arrest, Macatangay said a person posing as someone in authority must be arrested.
"If there is a questionable personality who introduces as a policeman, we arrest them right? They introduced themselves as persons in authority when they are not. That's what happened to Atty. Rosell. He claimed to be the city administrator when he is not," Macatangay said.
While at the City Hall, Rosell gathered the department heads for a meeting, said Macatangay.