Who leaked Acierto indictment papers? DOJ kicks off probe to find out

NOW IN HIDING: Former Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto  AP Photo/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered an investigation into the supposed leakage of a Department of Justice (DOJ) resolution indicting former police officer Eduardo Acierto and several others which made it difficult for the authorities to locate him.

The Manila Court already issued a warrant for the arrest of Acierto, former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency deputy director for administration Ismael Fajardo, importers Chan Yee Wah and Zhou Quan, consignees Vedasto Baraquel Jr. and Maria Catipan of Vecaba Trading and Emily Luquian.

“He has been hiding since the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Sen. [Richard] Gordon investigated the magnetic lifter drug smuggling cases. I suppose that leaked information of his impending arrest made him hide all the more,” Guevarra told reporters.

“The Office of the Prosecutor General is now doing the probe,” Guevarra told reporters in a message Friday.

The case against the seven accused stemmed from the importation of multi-billion worth of shabu concealed in magnetic lifters.

Reports said that the National Bureau of Investigation was supposed to begin a manhunt operation but the indictment was carried by the media a day before the operation.