‘No Clear Evidence to Link Cops’

The court has been asked by the officials of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG)-7 to declare invalid the search warrant used by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to search its vehicle impounding area in Sitio Sudlon, Lahug.

During the search conducted a few days ago by virtue of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Soliver Peras, the NBI agents had recovered a Red Toyota Vios sedan (GSC 675) said to be among those vehicles used by the suspected killers of Atty. Noel Archival and two of his friends.

The search warrant was addressed to HPG-7 director Senior Superintendent Romualdo Iglesia, Chief Inspector Eduardo Mara, Senior Inspector Joselito Lerion and SPO4 Edwin Galan because the impounding area is within their control.

But lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna filed a motion to quash the search warrant issued by Judge Peras, claiming that there is no basis for the issuance of the warrant due to lack of probable cause to involve his clients. De la Cerna represented the HPG-7 members.

Although Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 director Danilo Constantino said the four HPG-7 officials are not considered as suspects, they were summoned to appear for investigation before the NBI.

Dela Cerna said there is no clear evidence linking his clients to the February 18 ambush-slay of Archival in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete, saying “There were no affidavits issued. What they got was merely a red car.”

According to Dela Cerna, his clients are very willing to subject all their firearms to ballistic examination to prove that they were not involved in the ambush.

If the court will grant the motion to quash the search warrant, the seizure of the Red Toyota Vios sedan can be considered illegal and cannot be used as evidence against the four police officers.