Shabu lab case: Defense hits credibility of PDEA agents

CEBU, Philippines - One of the lawyers of the suspected shabu laboratory operators are now questioning the credibility of the members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who raided the laboratory in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City, in 2004.

Although Vicente Fernandez II failed to present his witness Francis Mutuc, he still stood by the information given to him by Mutuc that the PDEA had him encash a check taken from one of the 11 arrested in the shabu lab raid.

Fernandez, who represents the accused Liu Bo and Tao Fei, said he met Mutuc at the office of Gloria Dalawampu, lawyer of the accused mastermind Calvin Tan, and presented a photocopy of some documents supporting their manifestation that Mutuc is an asset of the PDEA.

According to Fernandez, Mutuc first agreed to be presented in the witness stand, but withdrew for his own safety. 

The first witness, businessman Reynaldo Macias, admitted before the court that Mutuc gave him a check worth P40,000 to be encashed in September 25, 2004.

The check was drawn from an Allied Bank branch along Mango Avenue in Cebu City under the account in the name of one of the accused Joseph Yu.

Macias claimed he did not know the check was owned by Yu and said he is a close friend of Mutuc and had transacted business with him several times. He first knew Mutuc sometime in 1997.

“Diha ra gyud ko mahibawo sa mga newspaper nga naapil akong ngalan sa isyu sa shabu laboratory,” Macias told the court.

Macias admitted that one time Mutuc told him that he was dismayed over the failure of the PDEA to give him his share of the money. He also said Mutuc told him and he is willing to make the revelation once he is invited by the court.

But Mutuc failed to attend yesterday’s hearing. Dalawampu asked the court to provide security for Mutuc but Mandaue City Regional Trial Court Judge Marilyn Lagura Yap said that she wants a formal motion from Dalawampu and Fernandez.

The next hearing is scheduled on March 12. — Jose P. Sollano/BRP (THE FREEMAN)