Lawyer questions Cuenco’s meeting with one of  “shabu 11” accused

One of the lawyers of Calvin De Jesus Tan, tagged as the financier of the shabu laboratory raided in Mandaue City last September 24, 2004, questioned the presence of Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco at the Mandaue City Jail questioning one of those arrested during the raid a few days after the incident.

Gloria Dalawampu said that Cuenco met one of the accused, Joseph Yu, in the jail, six days after the arrest of the suspect.

Dalawampu said Ilocos Rep. Roque Ablan, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, was also present during the meeting.

Cuenco, who was subpoenaed to attend the hearing of the case yesterday, said he was there as vice chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs to gather more facts and data on the incident in aid of legislation.

Specifically, Cuenco said he wanted the names of the local contacts and the financiers of the shabu operation.

But Dalawampu questioned Cuenco’s extracting information from Yu  without the presence of Yu’s lawyer.

Dalawampu also asked Cuenco if he was aware of an affidavit issued by one of the accused Allan Garcia linking Calvin De Jesus Tan as financier of the shabu laboratory and Cuenco answered he was not.

Tan was arrested in Hong Kong for alleged possession of shabu a few days after the raid, he was later extradited to the Philippines because his alleged involvement in the operation of the shabu laboratory.

More than P1 billion worth of drugs, paraphernalia and drug precursors were confiscated during the raid.  — Jose P. Sollano/BRP