Judge in Chinese chemists’ case inhibited himself from the case?

Has the controversial judge who granted bail to the five Chinese chemists behind the operations of a makeshift shabu laboratory in Pasig City inhibited himself from the case?

Reports circulating at the Narcotics Group (NarcGroup) headquarters in Camp Crame yesterday revealed that Judge Rodrigo Lorenzo of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 has filed a manifestation to inhibit himself from the drug trafficking case filed by the government against the five Chinese chemists. A NarcGroup official said Lorenzo, who is suffering from arthritis in both knees, decided to inhibit himself to erase suspicion that there was irregularity in his granting of bail to the suspects.

Earlier, NarcGroup chief Director Efren Fernandez asked Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to investigate reports that P12 million changed hands to speed up the relase of suspects Chua Chuy Li, 37; Xingfu Wang, 31; Joey Lu Cruz, 34; Huang Hong Wei, 34; and Tomas Lu.

The five suspects, all members of a Fujian drug syndicate in China, were arrested by elements of the Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO) in the makeshift shabu lab in Capitol 8 subdivision, Pasig City last Nov. 6. They yielded six kilos of shabu and several drums of chemicals used in the manufacture of illegal drugs. They were charged with drug traffficking, which is a non-bailable offense, but Lorenzo, citing reports that they were merely sitting inside the shabu lab during the raid, granted them P700,000 bail each.

The suspects were released last Tuesday but were rearrested two days later in Lorenzo’s sala by combined NarcGroup and Immigration agents for their being undocumented aliens.

Lorenzo was not in his office when The STAR tried yesterday to seek his comment on the report. His staff said he left for a therapy treatment of his arthritis. When asked whether Lorenzo has decided to inhibit himself from the case, a woman staffer said, "I don’t know." She also refused to give the contact number of Lorenzo allegedly upon his orders.

Fernandez said he was not aware of such a report. When asked whether Lorenzo’s inhibiting himself from the case will strengthen their case and lead to the conviction of the suspects, Fernandez refused to comment. However, a court insider claimed that Lorenzo decided to inhibit himself from the case to erase public perception that he was paid a large sum of money in exchange for his favorable decision.

The court insider confirmed that Lorenzo was planning to leave for the United States for medical treatment. – Non Alquitran