A MINDANAO politician from an opposition party financed the chartered private plane that carried 521 kilograms of suspected shabu (crystal meth) worth P3.54 billion seized in Laos, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Thursday.
PDEA spokesman Joseph Frederick Calulut, however, declined to disclose the Mindanaoan politician’s identity as case buildup is ongoing.
“The financier of this drug deal — this person is based in the south, from Mindanao,” Calulut said in Filipino. ”The payment for the chartered plane came from this person. As for the exact amount, we won’t disclose it for now, but what was paid there was $49,500 (or P3.122 million).”
“It’s a politician from the south whose political party is against the current administration,” he added.
He said charges would be filed against the politician and his cohorts, but did not give any other details.
On Oct. 1, authorities in Laos intercepted an international cross-border drug smuggling attempt on a chartered 986 Learjet 55B in Luang Prabang International Airport.
PDEA earlier confirmed that a Filipino, identified as “Fajad, a resident of Marawi City,” was among those arrested.
The aircraft departed Subang for Luang Prabang without any cargo before it was believed to have been used to transport the drugs from Laos to Manila.
The pilot of the private jet reportedly refused to load the luggage of the Filipino passenger, who was eventually arrested. The flight to the Philippines was then canceled.
Cohorts identified
Calulut said a task group composed of agencies including the Philippine National Police was formed after Fajad’s arrest. The politician’s cohorts were identified and their transactions uncovered, including bank transfers.
“It was through this task group that we identified who their accomplices were,” Calulut said.
He also belied reports that the plane was chartered for seven flights before the operation.
“That’s fake news,” he said, noting that this was the first time it tried to enter the Philippines, based on its flight plan and records of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Past record, one group
Calulut said only a big drug syndicate could be responsible for such a sizable shipment. But the group’s past activity did not go unnoticed and were in fact monitored.
“As for their group members, some of them are already under our monitoring, which is how we were able to connect these individuals,” he said.
“I won’t say the name but there were reports that the family was involved,” Calulut said.
Anyone found to be linked or involved with the group will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Calulut said the group is sourcing their drugs from the Golden Triangle area led by Sam Gor, an international crime syndicate in the Asia-Pacific region.
