PDEA bats for custody of another drug suspect

Embattled by controversial bribery charges in the supposedly botched release of three prominent drug trafficking suspects, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency now fights in keeping into custody yet another drug suspect.

PDEA officials questioned the order of prosecutors at San Juan City Regional Trial Court for the release of Vincent Rendell So Yu, the 22-year-old Filipino — Chinese student who was arrested by their agents at Special Enforcement Service led by Major Ferdinand Marcelino reportedly in a buy-bust operation in San Juan City last Tuesday.

Prosecutors reportedly ordered the release of Yu yesterday over technical grounds and instead referred the case for further investigation.

PDEA agents, however, refused to release the drug suspect from their custody as they questioned the order of prosecutors.

“We will retain custody of the suspect. We raised a question on the very early order of release for further investigation (RFI) that was given just when were about to bring him to the San Juan prosecutors’ office to complete the inquest,” PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said.

Carreon said they have been battling odds to bring arrested drug suspects into court.

The PDEA is currently fighting for the custody of drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson following recommendation of prosecutors at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their release and dismissal of the case against them due to lapses committed by authorities during their arrest Sept. 20.

The anti-narcotics agents believe they have a strong case against the three suspects and sought automatic review of the recommendation of DOJ prosecutors.

The case has been marred with allegations of bribery amounting to as much as P50 million.

The alleged bribery was exclusively reported by The STAR on Dec. 23, or four days after PDEA received the findings of DOJ prosecutors recommending the dismissal of the complaint their lawyers had filed against the three drug suspects. A reliable source alleged that P50 million exchanged hands to expedite the release of the three suspects.