Lawyer withdraws as counsel for cops tagged in Archival murder
The lawyer of the two PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) officers implicated in the ambush slay of Noel Archival and his companions withdrew as counsel after the two officers were indicted for the crime.
Lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna Jr. said Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia and PO1 Alex Bacani decided to part ways with him after the two policemen were indicted for allegedly conspiring to kill Archival and the other victims.
“When they learned about the ruling of the prosecutor, they felt frustrated and very sad. And I took that to mean that they may want to terminate the services of my law office,” he told reporters.
Dela Cerna said he has yet to talk with Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion on whether he will be retained as counsel.
De La Cerna filed his motion to withdraw as counsel before Deputy Lapu-Lapu Prosecutor Rogelio Tagaan and the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors’ Office.
He said Lerion and Bacani will now be represented by Manila-based lawyers Joselito Frial and Reynaldo Lugtu respectively.
Last week, Prosecutor Tagaan reversed his ruling and impleaded Chief Insp. Eduardo Mara and SPO4 Edwin Galan in the charges that will be filed before the Regional Trial Court.
In a ruling dated Aug. 26, Tagaan recommended the filing of multiple and frustrated murder charges against Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani and several unidentified persons in relation to the ambush murder of Archival and his companions.
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