Monasterio broker questioned by SPD

The woman who brokered the house lease between the parents of Teddy Monasterio Jr. and the Chinese nationals suspected of having operated the biggest shabu laboratory in Metro Manila appeared yesterday afternoon before Southern Police District (SPD) investigators.

Chi Castro, a real estate broker, was name by Cora Monasterio as the person who introduced her to arrested suspect Xuzi Bin Ong and two other Chinese nationals.

As of press time, Ramos was still undergoing questioning by investigators. She arrived at the SPD with her lawyer shortly before 4 p.m.

Mrs. Monasterio had earlier urged Ramos to come forward and give her statement so that "she could clear her name."

The Monasterios own the house on Hemlock Street, Executive Heights Subdivision, Barangay Sun Valley, which police raided last Nov. 1.

For his part, SPD director Superintendent Jose Gutierrez said Castro’s statement would help police trace the Chinese triad that supposedly ran the shabu laboratory.

Mrs. Monasterio said it was Castro who introduced her to Xuzi and two other Chinese men called only "Taba" and "Payat" after she spread the word that her two-storey house was for sale two years ago.

Mrs. Monasterio claimed she did not personally know Castro.

The Chinese nationals, with Xuzi as interpreter, only wanted to rent the house.

She only saw the two other Chinese men at least twice and dealt mainly with Castro and Xuzi, who was later discovered to be an illegal alien in the country.

Mrs. Monasterio did not suspect anything was wrong because the check payments were good. In fact, her husband has already prepared another lease contract for 2002-2004.

Xuzi was arrested by barangay tanods for littering after he threw a black traveling bag at Purok Manggahan, a depressed area behind the subdivision.

Police later discovered shabu residue and beakers inside the bag, which led them to the shabu laboratory.