Shabu lab ‘financier’ fails to appeal extradition

CEBU — The suspected leader of the syndicate behind the shabu laboratories busted in Mandaue City last year reportedly failed to beat Friday’s deadline to file a motion for reconsideration of an earlier ruling of a Hong Kong magistrate to extradite him to the Philippines.

Paul Clarence Oaminal, legal counsel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), said he received no report that Calvin Tan filed any plea last Friday.

But Tan’s extradition may not take effect immediately because under the Agreement of Fugitive Offenders of 1997, it has to first undergo a procedure or protocol, Oaminal said.

"Once an agreement is reached, we will then go to Hong Kong," he said.

Tan was detained in Hong Kong after Customs authorities there arrested him for possession of illegal drugs.

He was implicated as the alleged financier of shabu laboratories in two Mandaue City warehouses, believed to be among the biggest in Asia.

Tan and 11 other suspects, along with supposed warehouse owners Richard Ong and Andy Ng, were subsequently charged for illegal manufacture of shabu.

To get Tan to face the charges against him here, Philippine authorities went to Hong Kong and fought for his extradition. — Mitchelle Calipayan/ Freeman News Service