Lepeng Wee cleared of smuggling

A prominent Zamboanga City businessman was cleared yesterday of smuggling charges by the Department of Justice.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez has ordered government prosecutors to remove the name of Lepeng Wee, also known as Wee Dee Ping, from a list of people whom the Bureau of Customs had charged with violating the Tariff and Customs Code.

Last year, Wee was charged with smuggling in connection with the importation in June 2000 of 39 drums of chemicals from Malaysia by three Malaysian businessmen.

Perez said the retraction of Malaysian Tan Nge Foo, a witness against Wee, is inadmissible since he had already admitted that the chemicals in question belong to him.

"A confession made after the conspiracy has come to an end is evidence only against the one who made the confession," he said.

Upon learning about the news, Wee said he was happy that his name has been cleared because he had been innocent all along.

"The law has prevailed," he said.

Wee, who served as Estrada’s adviser on Mindanao economic affairs, was instrumental in the release of three Malaysians whom the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped along with 18 mostly foreign tourists from Sipadan island off Sabah two years ago. –Roel Pareño