Jailed Arquillano brothers post bail

CEBU, Philippines — After spending nearly a month in jail, San Francisco, Cebu Mayor Aly Arquillano and his brother, Vice Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Jr., may be freed anytime soon, having been allowed to post bail for the charges they are facing.

According to their legal counsel Edmund Lao, the court allowed the brothers to post a total bail of P750,000 for the cases of alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives against them.

On April 4, operatives from the Provincial Intelligence Branch arrested the Arquillanos following a raid on their ancestral house in San Francisco town, Camotes Islands that yielded several firearms, including caliber .22 rifle, AR-15 rifle, caliber .45 pistol, some ammunition, and a hand grenade.

The Arquillanos have since been detained at the facility of the Bureau of Jail and Management (BJMP) in Danao City, mainland Cebu.

During the inquest proceeding back in April, they manifested to face the charges hurled against them in court.

Retired judge Meinrado Paredes, another legal counsel of the two, yesterday told the media that the court has already issued the release order for his clients.

The FREEMAN was still checking, as of this writing, if the two have already been freed from detention.

Under the law, the case for illegal possession of explosives -- in this case, a hand grenade -- is not bailable, but Paredes explained that the accused may still be allowed to post bail if the evidence of guilt against them is weak.

“Maong i-grant ang bail sa non-bailable offense kay the evidence of guilt is not strong,” he said.

Alfredo Jr. is running for mayor in the May 13 elections, while Aly is running for vice mayor. — JMD  (FREEMAN)