Lawyer ends up in jail while facilitating release of his client

CEBU, Philippines - The former Cebu provincial attorney was arrested yesterday for threatening to file criminal charges against the policemen if they will not release his client who was detained for a traffic-related case.

Atty. Danilo Pilapil, who served ad provincial attorney during the stint of then Governor Vicente dela Serna, went to the office of Cebu City PNP Traffic Group to facilitate the release of his client Harvey Igot Magali, but ended up arrested and detained in the police stockade.

Traffic police chief Andres Bayarcal allegedly got mad after Pilapil handed him a letter and demanded for the immediate release of Magali with a warning that criminal charges would be filed against the traffic policemen if his client is not released.

Pilapil claimed it is illegal for the police to continue to detaining Magali after the latter voluntarily showed up to the police station Sunday morning and admitted that he was the one who accidentally hit a person while driving his vehicle in Lower Busay shortly before midnight last Saturday.

The victim, identified as Glen Abella died in that road accident, but Magali told the police that he had shouldered the financial necessities of the victim’s family and he is working for the amicable settlement of the case. The police however did not allow him to leave.

Upon reading Pilapil’s letter, Bayarcal refused to formally receive it that prompted the lawyer to say “Ang dili modawat niining suwat mga ignorante.”

Bayarcal quickly ordered his men to place Pilapil under arrest for oral defamation. The lawyer was then handcuffed and brought to Cebu City Police Office on Gorordo Avenue for detention.

“Natural ra namo nga mga abogado nga mangabogar sa among kliyente. Wala ko’y nahimong salaud. Kun gihimoan ko niya niini nga usa ka abogado, unsa pa kaha ang ordinaryong mga tawo,” Pilapil said.

Police lawyer Julius Ompad said they are now studying the possibility of filing obstruction of justice and oral defamation, including disbarment case against Pilapil for using the letterhead of the Department of Agriculture in his letter, making it appear that he is a government lawyer. 

But Pilapil, who was brought to a government hospital last night upon his request for a medical examination, also vowed to file multiple criminal and administrative charges against Bayarcal and some other policemen for his arrest. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB(FREEMAN NEWS)