MANILA, Philippines - A former official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and a Chinese national were placed under inquest proceedings before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday.
Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, former director of the PDEA Special Enforcement Service and Chinese national Yan Yi Shuo were arrested on Thursday during a drug raid in a suspected shabu laboratory in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
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Marcelino and Yan were brought in the office of Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva for the filing of appropriate charges.
The DOJ will determine if there is probable cause in the allegations against the two suspects during the inquest proceedings.
Members of the PDEA seized 64 kilos of suspected shabu worth 320 million and a Toyota Camry during the raid.
Marcelino denied that he was involved in illegal drugs and claimed that he was conducting intelligence operations when he was arrested.
The former PDEA official and the Chinese national were charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for illegal possession and manufacture of illegal substances.
The former PDEA official was the team leader of the group who arrested members of alleged drug syndicate "Alabang Boys" in 2008. He was also involved in the arrest of a son of former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim who was allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
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