Atty. Tolentino posts bail, questions timing of arrest

CEBU, Philippines - The former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) - Cebu City Chapter was released from detention yesterday after posting bail of P10,000.

Lawyer Alex Tolentino was arrested at his residence the other night by virtue of a warrant issued by the Municipal Trial Court in Cities. Yesterday, he posted bail at the sala of MTCC Judge Monalilia Tecson.

The warrant was issued after the Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas found him violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees when he allegedly engaged in legal practice without permission from the Metropolitan Cebu Water District.

Tolentino used to be manager of the Environment and Resource Department of MCWD.

Complainant Jennifer Chua had alleged Tolentino and MCWD legal officer Francisco Pepito had appeared as counsel in a civil case filed against her. The Ombudsman, however, cleared Pepito because he managed to secure a permit to practice law while being a government employee.

Tolentino’s lawyer Earl Bonachita said they will question why the arrest was made at night and not during the day. He said that if the police only served the warrant during the day, Tolentino could have posted bail immediately.

Bonachita said he will request the court to set a specific time that a warrant can be served such that the subject of the warrant can still post bail if the offense against him/her is bailable.

“We will ask the executive judge so that it cannot happen to anyone again…that they will sleep at night in the detention cell,” Bonachita said.

Tolentino stayed at the Cebu City Police Office for 12 hours.

In a statement to TV Patrol Central Visayas over ABS-CBN, the Intelligence and Detective Management Branch of CCPO said they received a copy of the warrant also the other night and went to look for Tolentino right away.

Answering the charges, Tolentino said there was no need for him to secure permit from MCWD because being an employee of the water district before 2006, he believes he was covered by the 2006 rules that did not require him to secure permit to practice law. — (FREEMAN)