Lawyer: My client kidnap victim not drug lord

A lawyer of a businessman reported by the police as engaging in drug pushing denied yesterday that his client Maca-angcos Alawiya is engaged in illegal drugs, saying the accusation is "an act of revenge by certain police officers who wanted to get back at him for initiating criminal complaints of kidnapping for ransom against them with the Department of Justice."

In a letter sent to The STAR, lawyer Andresito Fornier of the Fornier Fornier Saño & Lagumbay law firm, stressed that his client "is not and was never engaged in the trading of illegal drugs. He is a legitimate businessman who is in the business of selling jewelry made of gold and precious stones."

Alawiya was recently implicated by three women nabbed by the anti-narcotics operatives of the Western Police District (WPD) while allegedly selling shabu to undercover policemen in Quiapo, Manila.

The suspects pointed to Alawiya as their source of illegal drugs, the story of which appeared in the in The STAR based on a WPD intelligence report submitted to Camp Crame.

Fornier also denied reports that Alawiya "reportedly established an Islamic association registered as Al-Ikhlas Foundation, Inc. and that the foundation could be his (Alawiya’s) conduit for drug money."

According to Fornier, the Al-Ikhlas Foundation, Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit corporation established by legitimate Muslim businessmen and professionals. "The foundation does not solicit funds from abroad. It is strictly being locally funded by its members and was organized to encourage Muslim youth to know, understand and memorize the Holy Quran and propagate the Islamic doctrine and teachings," Fornier said.

He also mentioned that in Sept. 11, Alawiya and his two companions were kidnapped by several unidentified men who turned out to be police officers, who released him upon payment of P700,000 and two vehicles.

Alawiya later filed charges against the six police officers and the case is still pending resolution.

"During the investigation, the kidnappers were identified as members of the PNP’s Intelligence Unit of the Northern Police District." The policemen concerned described the "kidnapping" of Alawiya as a "botched buy-bust operation" when their "search yielded negative results for any illegal drugs, weapons or contraband."