MANILA, Philippines – Anti-drug operatives have expressed concern over reports that a retired justice official is meddling in the case of three Chinese men arrested during a drug bust in San Juan City over the weekend.
The three Chinese yielded 20 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with a street value of P100 million.
An official of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) said they received reports that a former justice official facilitated a meeting between the inquest prosecutor and the lawyer of the three suspects – Lin Hong Seng, Lin Hong Beng, and Hong Heng Hung.
“We learned that the meeting took place in San Juan after the inquest proceedings, ” said the official, who requested not to be named so as not to compromise the task force.
When contacted by The STAR, San Juan State Prosecutor Ireneo Quintano, however, denied that the supposed meeting took place.
“There was no such meeting. I have submitted my resolution of the case to my superior, who will evaluate my findings. Money will not change my evaluation on the matter,” said Quintano in a telephone interview.
Quintano had warned police officers against releasing information that would demean the office of the state prosecutor.
The AIDSOTF official said the government has a strong case against the three foreigners. He said the deal was consummated because the undercover policemen received the illegal drugs.
AIDSOTF operatives claimed there have been attempts to settle the case for P20 million. It was not known if the money was offered to the prosecutor.
“The offer to our operatives is very tempting. The syndicate is also floating the idea that the PNP (some police personnel) has gotten the P10 million bribe-share while the remaining P10 million will be for prosecutors and the court,” said the source.
The foreigners have denied ownership of the drugs. They also denied knowing each other. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Non Alquitran, Daniel Simmons-Ritchie