PNP to review Ongpin drug case

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Dionardo Carlos yesterday ordered a review of the case of cocaine possession filed by the La Union police against Julian Roberto Ongpin, which was dismissed by a court in San Fernando, La Union.

Carlos instructed Maj. Gen. Omega Jireh Fidel, PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management director, to review the case following an apparent oversight and lapses by the police in the handling of drug evidence against Ongpin.

“We want to know which aspect of the case may have been overlooked to preclude similar situations in other police operations,” Carlos said in a statement.

Carlos also directed the PNP Legal Service’s field office in Ilocos to coordinate with the La Union provincial prosecutor in filing a motion for reconsideration.

San Fernando, La Union Regional Trial Court Branch 27 Judge Romero Agacita Jr. dismissed the case filed against Ongpin, son of billionaire businessman and former Marcos trade minister Roberto Ongpin, for lack of probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest against him.

In an ANC interview, Carlos said sanctions will be imposed on the police officers if it is proven there was negligence on their part that led to the dismissal of the drug case against Ongpin.

Carlos insisted that the PNP is not treating Ongpin differently compared with other people accused of involvement in illegal drugs.

DOJ to appeal

The Department of Justice will file a motion for reconsideration early next week before Agacita, DOJ National Prosecution Service (NPS) Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said yesterday.

The judge said Ongpin was not present when the evidence – roughly 12 grams of cocaine found in a room at a hostel in the province that he shared with artist Bree Jonson – was marked, as police officers brought him to the hospital for medical examination.

Agacita also noted that the arresting officers did not give any justifiable grounds for the absence of witnesses when the evidence was being documented. He said there was not even a phone call to officials of Barangay Urbiztondo in San Juan, whose barangay hall was meters away from the hostel.

The judge also dismissed the explanation of the DOJ-NPS that the police officers responded to a report of a “found dead body,” not illegal drugs, as “unmeritorious.”

Agacita took note that the cocaine was not immediately marked at the time of seizure, remarking that the lapse in the chain of custody placed serious doubts on the evidentiary value and integrity of the seized items.

Court records showed that at around 4 a.m. on Sept. 18, the hostel’s security officer, Joselito Niebres, checked on the room occupied by Ongpin and Jonson after hearing what Niebres described to be a verbal tussle. Niebres said he saw a jalousie window of the room broken and debris on the floor.

Ongpin opened the door and said Jonson, whom he claimed was his girlfriend, allegedly committed suicide. When Niebres entered the room, he saw a woman lying on the bed. He called the San Juan police station.

Crime scene investigators arrived at the hostel at around 5:25 a.m. and reportedly collected several tablets and a white powder in plastic sachets.

The National Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate investigation to determine if there was foul play in Jonson’s death. – Evelyn Macairan, Eva Visperas