Canadian drug suspects charged in DOJ

MANILA, Philippines - Four drug suspects believed to be members of a big-time syndicate with ties to a Mexican drug cartel were charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday.

Canadians Bary Espadilla, Tristan Olazo, James Riach and Ali Memar Mortazavi Shirazi were subjected to inquest proceedings by investigating prosecutor Ana Doreen Devanadera on charges of possession of illegal drugs.

The suspects were arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents in raids on several condominiums in Makati and Taguig where cocaine, shabu and ecstasy with a street value of about P100 million were seized.

NBI anti-drug chief Eric Isidoro said Espadilla and Olazo are Filipinos by blood but are Canadian citizens, while Riach is Canadian-Iranian.

Escorted by lawyers, the suspects opted to skip preliminary investigation at the DOJ and simply present their defense in court.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she wanted to determine how the Canadians – reportedly members of the Independent Soldiers gang in Vancouver and previously convicted for various crimes – were able to enter the country.

“They have criminal records in Canada so President Aquino wants to know why they were allowed entry. That’s why we would want to refer this to the Bureau of Immigration,” she told reporters in an interview.

Isidoro said Espadilla and Olazo were convicted in Vancouver for murder, illegal possession of firearms and possession of illegal drugs, The murder and illegal drug charges were later reversed on appeal, he said.

Mexican ties

De Lima said Aquino also wants to know if the group has ties with the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, but the NBI probers have yet to verify this information. The cartel has reportedly been operating in the Philippines for about seven months.

Last Christmas, a team composed of members of the Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Force, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested three drug suspects reportedly with ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Seized from the suspects – Chinese Gary Tan and Filipino couple Argay Argenos and Rochelle Argenos – were 84 kilos of shabu with a street value of P420 million during a raid at the LPL Ranch in Lipa, Batangas.

They appeared before the DOJ yesterday for preliminary investigation on charges of violation of Republic Act 9165, the comprehensive anti-drug law.