Money launder raps eyed vs ‘shabu cop’

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is considering filing a money laundering charge against a policeman caught with shabu and P6.9 million in his house in Sampaloc, Manila.

Lawyer Max Salvador, who heads the NBI’s National Capital Region office, told reporters yesterday the agency might ask the Anti-Money Laundering Council for an order to forfeit the properties of Police Officer 2 Jolly Aliangan.

“It is obvious that the money we seized from him is not commensurate to his income as a cop,” he said.

Aliangan apparently owns a two-story house in Balic-Balic, with a minibar where some of the over 300 grams of shabu was found.

He was arrested by the NBI agents after they received a tip that a police officer from the National Capital Region Police Office was reselling shabu and other illegal drugs seized in raids by the NCRPO’s anti-illegal drug unit, where he has been assigned for the past three years, Salvador said.

According to reports, his clients would come to his house to get the drugs and would pay him through bank deposits or money transfers.

Salvador said Aliangan’s bank transactions may run into millions of pesos, but refused to elaborate. A source told The STAR Aliangan’s bank account might contain around P30 million.

NBI agents confiscated the P6.9 million found in a vault in his bedroom.

Framed?

Meanwhile, Aliangan denied the charges against him during the preliminary investigation before the Department of Justice yesterday.

Aliangan asked investigating Assistant State Prosecutor Jocelyn Dugay to dismiss the charges of possession of illegal drugs and illegal drug paraphernalia under Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions under RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) against him.

In a 13-page counter-affidavit, Aliangan accused the NBI agents who arrested him of trying to extort the P6.9 million from him and planting evidence against him, his wife Ronalie and their driver Jeffrey Gutierrez when he refused.

He said the money belonged to his mother.

Aliangan claimed no members of media and barangay officials were present at the time the NBI agents made their demand.

He also alleged that the shabu had been planted in his bedroom.

Aliangan said the firearms and ammunition found in his bedroom were displayed for picture taking and inventory.

“The articles seized from my house… were taken without my presence, forcibly and in clear violation of the plain view doctrine, hence, clearly inadmissible as evidence to warrant a probable case against me,” he added.

Rosalie also denied the NBI’s allegation that she tried to flush some of the illegal drugs into the toilet.

The NBI filed an additional charge of illegal drug use against her after she tested positive for shabu.

Dugay submitted the case for resolution after the NBI agents opted not to file a reply, in an apparent bid to expedite the filing of cases in court.

Salvador said the NBI’s operation against Aliangan was legitimate, contrary to the lawman’s claims.

While Aliangan claimed that the agents planted evidence against him, “the fiscal, the barangay officials and the media were present when we opened the vault,” he said.

Salvador also said that the search warrant presented on Aliangan was legal.