[ad_1]
MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has indicted union leader Dennise Velasco for allegations of illegal possession of explosives and firearms.
In a statement to the press on Thursday, lawyer Ephraim Cortez, secretary general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers, said that the prosecutor recommended that the case be brought for violation of the Law for the Comprehensive Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition against Velasco.
Cortez also noted that the prosecutor found no probable cause to file a complaint for illegal possession of explosives against Velasco.
Velasco has already posted a 150,000 peso bond on charges of illegal possession of firearms and his release has been ordered, Cortez said.
However, the Prosecutor’s Office modified its resolution accusing Velasco of illegal possession of explosives.
“Upon reassessment and the conclusion that the complainant’s (police) argument is meritorious, the same is granted. The defendant is charged with violation of article 3 of presidential decree no. 1866 modified by the Law of the Republic no. 9516 for hand grenades, ”reads the resolution of December 22.
“The defendant is also charged with violation of Section 28 (b) of the Republic Law No. 10951 for the .22 caliber Astra pistol, .22 caliber Bernadilli pistol and .9 mm pistol with magazines and ammunition”, added.
The Prosecutor’s Office did not recommend bail for the complaint for illegal possession of explosives.
The QC prosecutor amended his ruling after the complainant argued, by filing an urgent ex parte motion for reconsideration, that although the hand grenade was not included in the search warrant issued by the court, “they must still be included in the charges because they were discovered in plain sight. “
Velasco was arrested for allegations of illegal possession of firearms and explosives during a morning raid inside his home in Barangay Greater Lagro, Novaliches, Quezon City on December 10 last, on International Human Rights Day.
The raid occurred after members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group delivered the search warrant issued by Executive Judge Cecilyn E. Burgos-Villavert of Section 89 of the Quezon City Regional Court of First Instance for violation of the Law for the Comprehensive Regulation of Firearms and Ammunition.
Lawmakers previously asked the high court to investigate the factory warrants issued against activists. They also interrogated Villavert, who issued arrest warrants responsible for the raids on December 10.
[ad_2]
