Defense in shabu 11 case waives cross- examination of witness

The defense panel in the case against alleged shabu financier Calvin Tan has opted not to cross-examine prosecution witness PO3 Jamelito Marquez in yesterday's hearing of the case.

Defense counsel Oscar Maturan said he has asked questions in the direct examination of Marquez last December.

Senior state prosecutor Achimedes Manabat also told the court that they intend to present Supt. Lina Sarmiento and two other policemen who participated in the surveillance, and warehouse owner Alfonso Chua during the hearing for Tan's bid to bail.

Calvin Tan's lawyer William delos Santos earlier filed a petition for bail for Tan's temporary release.

The prosecution panel has until January 27 to comment on the petition before RTC Branch 28 judge Marilyn Yap decides on it.

Delos Santos is certain the testimonies of these witnesses have nothing to do with Tan and he is willing to admit their testimonies just to expedite the bail hearing. But Manabat said the witnesses will point to a conspiracy between and the others accused with Tan.

As for Tan's request to transfer to another jail, the prosecution believes CPDRC is the "safest place" for Tan.

City Prosecutor Ferdinand Peque and Assistant Prosecutor Felixberto Geromo, in their comment opposing Tan's petition filed last January 9, said the danger perceived by Tan is imaginary and "based on pure hearsay."

Last September 2004, eleven people, mostly foreigners, were arrested in the raid on the shabu laboratory in Mandaue City. Seized in the raid were 675 kilos of shabu worth P1.5 billion, and enough chemicals to produce 15 tons more of shabu. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan