Rudy Salas with counsel Ricardo Sagmit at the Angeles City Hall of Justice. Photo courtesy of Jaypee Manalang/i-Orbit News
ANGELES CITY – The lead counsel of former Communist Party of the Philippines chair and New People’s Army chief Rodolfo Salas on Wednesday said there were “irregularities” in the search of his house and arrest last Tuesday morning.
“All documents and objects presented were illegally obtained…taken without any search warrant,” said Atty. Ricardo M. Sagmit, referring to a .45 pistol, 174 assorted ammunitions, two .45 magazines, and documents the police reported to have recovered from Salas’ house.
“There were violations of the constitutional rights of [Salas],” said Sagmit.
As the lawyer waived his client’s right to inquest proceedings, the public prosecutor skipped a preliminary hearing on the complaint for illegal possession of firearms against Salas.
“We want to expeditiously resolve this allegation of illegal possession of firearms,” he said.
Salas was arrested on Tuesday morning by elements of the Special Concern Unit of Regional Intelligence Division 3, 301st Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3 and Angeles City Police Intelligence Branch armed with a warrant of arrest issued by Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 dated Aug. 28, 2019 in connection with the so-called Inopacan massacre in Leyte province in 1985.
“I have full confidence in my lawyers Atty. Ric Sagmit and Atty. Arno Sanidad. I am optimistic that this will be settled as soon as possible,” said Salas.
