Slow probe of Tan, shabu 11 bewailed

Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco yesterday said he was disappointed over the slow pace of the investigation and prosecution of Calvin Tan and the other suspects arrested during the raid on the shabu lab last September 24, 2004 and wants the Justice Secretary censured for "for sleeping on the job."

Cuenco, vice-chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said Secretary Raul Gonzales failed to supervise his prosecutors assigned to the case, and his department came up with a dismal performance

Cuenco, who is still in Geneva, Switzerland, as head of the House delegation in the International Parliamentary Union, said via overseas phone that as soon as the House resumes its session on November 7 he would demand that Gonzales be censured for lapses in the case.

Cuenco learned that the team of prosecutors, headed by state prosecutor Archie Manabat, assigned to handle the case against Tan and the Shabu 11 suspects will be returning to Manila instead of staying in Cebu to hold at least three hearings every week.

The National Bureau of Investigation should also be made to explain about the laggard investigation to identify the supposed local contacts of Tan, the alleged shabu lab financier, said Cuenco.

All evidences seized from Tan in Hong Kong were already turned over to the NBI and the DOJ for further investigation, said Cuenco adding that the NBI failed to trace Tan's local links.

Cuenco said the NBI should focus its probe on Joseph Yu, one of the Shabu 11 suspects, because this man might be privy to the local contacts of Tan. Cuenco said Yu arranged all the transactions in Cebu including the rental of the warehouse.

Cuenco also admitted that they are in a dilemma because Yu is willing to give the information in exchange of becoming state witness.

"Unsa may atong palabihon? Ang mga local contacts o si Yu ang usa sa mga dakong isda (Who should we favor? The local contacts or Yu who is one of the big fish)," Cuenco said.

Despite this distracting development, however, Cuenco said he is still optimistic that the government would be able to convict Tan due to the strong evidence against him.

Simon Lao, another of the Shabu 11 suspects who the government eyed as a possible state witness, identified Tan as the man who financed the operation of the shabu lab. - Fred P. Languido