Alleged drug lord presented to GMA

A suspected operator of a padlocked shabu laboratory in Mandaue City in Cebu — believed to be the biggest in Southeast Asia — was presented yesterday to President Arroyo at Malacañang after being extradited from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang signed last June 27 the order for the extradition of Calvin de Jesus Tan, who faces charges of drug trafficking in the Philippines.

The 29-year-old, also known as Calvin Tan Sy, was arrested on Sept. 29 last year by Hong Kong Customs police while on his way to Macau.

During a raid in Mandaue City on Sept. 29 last year, police seized at least P4 billion worth of shabu from a laboratory that Tan was accused of operating.

Tan was presented to Mrs. Arroyo by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Anselmo Avenido, and National Bureau of Investigation Director Reynaldo Wycoco.

"Ten months ago, at the end of September last year, the biggest laboratory in the Philippines, and maybe in Asia, was raided," Mrs. Arroyo said.

"We were there and then the manhunt for the owner ensued. I also congratulate the members of our executive branch. We are totally committed to the war against drugs and other syndicates. We finally were able to reduce the drug traffic by half as of now, but there is still a long way to go."

Mrs. Arroyo said Cuenco, principal author of the Dangerous Drugs Law, went to Hong Kong nine times at his own expense to work for Tan’s extradition.

Mrs. Arroyo also lauded Cuenco for his pet project, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Academy, the curriculum and faculty development of which are now underway.

The academy will graduate new law enforcers dedicated to the anti-drug campaign, she added.

Defending Mrs. Arroyo’s presentation of Tan at Malacañang, Gonzalez and government media head Cerge Remonde said the suspect’s arrest and extradition was a major achievement for the administration.

"The President herself was there at the raid and she specifically ordered the manhunt for Tan and his accomplices," Remonde said.

Before last year’s presidential election, Mrs. Arroyo had stopped the practice of parading high-profile suspects before the media at Malacañang, following criticisms that she was overdoing it to show she was tough on crime.

Tan was escorted from Hong Kong Tuesday night by Cuenco, Pineda, and three NBI agents.

He was to set to be flown yesterday afternoon to Cebu to face trial before the Mandaue City Regional Trial Court for alleged violation of the Dangerous Drugs Law.

Tan was jailed in Hong Kong for nine months for possession of dangerous drugs after Hong Kong Customs authorities arrested him on his way to Macau.

Hong Kong officials also seized from Tan a notebook, a laptop computer, bank books, mobile phones, ATM cards and HK$829,000 in cash.

While Tan was awaiting the outcome of his case in Hong Kong, the Department of Justice filed a formal request for his extradition to the Philippines, based on the Philippines-Hong Kong Extradition Treaty signed on Jan. 30, 1995.

After a day‘s hearing at the Eastern Magistracy on April 29, Magistrate Allen Wyeth ruled that Tan’s extradition was warranted.