Seven rights groups and six people whose families are detained due to what they said were made-up charges filed a report to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. The report was in response to the high court calling for motions or complaints for the assessment of "revision or institutional change." Amid questions on the irregularities in search warrants implementations, the groups urged the SC to remind trial courts to look into the regularity of search and seizure or the issuance of a search warrant. READ: SC urged to be proactive, provide safeguards vs 'templated' warrantsSeveral groups have urged the SC to look into the "weaponization" of the rule of law through the issuance of search warrants that results in not only arrests on what groups said are made-up cases, but also the killings of activists. In March, BAYAN Secretary-General Renato Reyes said there seems to be a pattern of abuse, which starts with the application for search warrants, which judges issue to authorize the police to enter people's houses and offices.

Source: Philippine Star May 18, 2021 04:18 UTC