THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has subpoenaed more than 21 people to shed light on their alleged involvement or knowledge of the foiled attempt to smuggle in P3.5 billion worth of shabu from Laos.
Col. Allen Rae Co, PNP spokesman, said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has issued the subpoenas to those “not necessarily involved directly” so they can “exercise their right to be heard.” In a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday, Co said more persons will be subpoenaed in the coming days. He also requested the subpoenaed persons to bring the required documents that are needed in the questioning.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday dared critics to challenge him on the facts of the case being built in connection to the multibillion drug haul.
“I dare you to challenge me on the facts of this case. If we made a mistake in our case build-up, I’m handing in my resignation tomorrow,” Remulla said in English and Filipino. “We are confident that we’re correct in our investigation.” Over the weekend, Remulla received criticism over his presentation of a diagram showing the web of personalities involved in the entire operation from sourcing to delivery in Manila
He identified ex-parliamentarian Edriezan Hadji Nasser Rimbang as the primary financier of the shabu shipment while 10 others were alleged to be accomplices, including a police officer, a former airline pilot, a Marawi CIty resident named Fajad who was arrested during the interception of the chartered plane that carried the 521-kilogram shabu shipment.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio raised concern over the release of the diagram.
In an interview, Topacio said such an act violates the Constitution as well as the Data Privacy Act of 2012 which says naming or publicly disclosing the identity of a suspect or individual before a formal charge or court-issued warrant is restricted.
Topacio said Remulla, as well as police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., could face administrative complaints over naming the personalities they alleged were involved as authorities should have concealed the individuals’ faces and withheld their names while the investigation was ongoing.
Nothing wrong
The PNP, however, said it believes there is nothing wrong with Remulla’s move to name the personalities alleged in the case.
“As we have stated earlier we do not deal in gossip and rumors. We only deal based on evidence and documents,” Co said.
Remulla said Philippine authorities had put the shipment under surveillance weeks before it was supposed to be smuggled into Manila.
This paved the way for the cooperation of interagency counterparts including Laos authorities, which resulted in the interception of the shipment and the arrest of Fajad.
“We saw the links such as who procured the chartered plane, where it will land, who the consignee was, who gave the money. We discovered everything,” Co said.
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