Police reject release of Chinese drug suspect

MANILA, Philippines - A Chinese arrested for possession of 50 grams of shabu remains in jail after police agents refused to free him based on an “irregular order” to release him by the prosecutor’s office in Caloocan City.

Superintendent Roque Merdegia, of the legal division of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) said they would file a motion for reconsideration before the Caloocan City prosecutor’s office today seeking to reverse its ruling ordering the release of the suspect, David Lai, 42.

Lai, a car salesman, was arrested on Sept. 28 in Caloocan City after handing over 50 grams of shabu to a poseur-buyer in exchange for P250,000 “boodle money.”

Assistant City prosecutor Darwin Cañete recommended no bail and the case for filing against Lai. However, to the AIDSOTF’s surprise, Cañete backtracked on his initial order and directed them to release Lai “for further investigation” after the suspect’s lawyer claimed that his client was not the one mentioned in the “pre-operation” of the case.

A team headed by Superintendent Andy Suan, of the AIDSOTF’s Special Operations Unit 2 placed Lai under surveillance last month amid reports that he’s behind the proliferation of shabu in Binondo, Manila and Caloocan City.

An informant and the poseur-buyer arranged a meeting at Lai’s rented condo unit along Rizal Ave. Extension in Caloocan City on Sept. 28 and agreed on the sale of 50 grams of shabu.

Lai demanded to see the cash money and the informant and the poseur-buyer led him to a parked car near a fastfood chain. The suspect was arrested after handing over the shabu to the poseur-buyer before he could count the “boodle money,” said Merdegia.

In their pre-operation report, AIDSOTF agents identified Lai through his alias as a certain Iniong. Merdegia said after Cañete issued his order denying Lai bail, the suspect’s lawyer filed a motion for reconsideration insisting that his client is not alias Iniong.

Based on this technicality, Cañete reversed his earlier ruling and directed AIDSOTF to release Lai last Friday night.