Court junks motorcycle dealer's motion to nullify warrantless arrest

CEBU, Philippines - The court has denied a motorcycle dealer's motion to quash his warrantless arrest and to declare the items seized incidental to the unlawful arrest as inadmissible.

The warrant of arrest was issued by Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court Branch 6.

Romeo Rañola, 65, through his lawyer Julius Cesar Entise, argued he was illegally arrested and that the arrest was a frame-up.

But the prosecution filed its opposition on three grounds.

"The motion fails to state a valid ground for a motion to quash as mandated by Rule 117, the arguments raised are considered matters of defense and should be raised during trial, accused was validly and legally arrested," the prosecution said.

The prosecution said with the defense of the accused that he was illegally arrested as not committing any offense at the time of the arrest is "unfortunate and unavailing."

It said the joint affidavit of the arresting officers was corroborated by a 13-year-old victim herself in her affidavit.

The arresting officers said they spotted the vehicle of the accused entering a motel and that the girl inside was the reported missing or kidnapped by barangay officials of Basak, San Nicolas.

The accused faces charges of three counts of child abuse and child pornography.

The accused was arrested inside a motel together with the girl.

The police also confiscated from him a camera containing nude photos of his victims.

Earlier, Rañola obtained his release order from the court after he posted a bail for P520,000 surety bail bond for his temporary liberty.