The lawyer of former Philippine National Police comptroller  Eliseo dela Paz said their next step will be to file before the Supreme Court a petition for certiorari to question the warrant of arrest issued by the Senate committee on foreign relations committee.
 
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago ordered dela Paz's arrest for snubbing Thursday's Senate hearing on why the police general was carrying P6.9-million worth of euros in Russia. He was detained by Russian authorities for nine days for carrying more than the allowable amount of money.
 
"We have to protect our client. We will file a petition for certiorari," Malaya told reporters after Santiago shooed him out of the hearing. The senator said lawyers are only supposed to provide advise to clients, not represent them.
 
Asked where dela Paz, Malaya said, "He is in the Philippines."
 
Malaya said he thinks the warrant of arrest may have been too much. "He should have been given a chance to explain himself first," he said.
 
Before the Senate proceedings, dela Paz's camp filed before a local court a motion to quash the Senate proceeding on the ground that it is not the right committee to investigate the issue. They also submitted the motion to the Senate committee, but it was denied.