BI probes Lacson’s claims about drug smuggler

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has started its investigation on Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s claim that a Chinese national who allegedly facilitated the smuggling of P1.8 billion worth of drugs seized at the port of Manila two months ago, was able to fly in and out of the country despite being on the Interpol watch list.

“We learned about this yesterday afternoon, and Commissioner [Jaime] Morente immediately ordered a probe on [it],” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in a text message to reporters.

In a privilege speech on Wednesday, Lacson identified Zhijian Xu alias Jacky Co as being included in the Interpol’s watch list. Lacson said Co had been frequenting the country despite his being wanted by authorities in China.

Co, Lacson said, was responsible for the 276 kilos of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) that were wrapped in tea packaging and found inside a 40-foot container. The shipment was declared as plastic resin.

Co, the senator said, was born in Fujian, China.

But Sandoval said that “initial verification showed that the names [given] have no Interpol hit and no matching travel records.”

She said the BI “would coordinate with Senator Lacson’s office to gather more information about the case to pinpoint who this person is. If he is a foreign national, we could use these details to initiate deportation proceedings against him.”

The BI spokesperson said that based on their record, “nobody with that name has left on the day mentioned by the senator. It could be an alias, that is why we would coordinate with Senator Ping’s office. I think he could give more information that would be helpful to the bureau [to] identify this person.”

Sandoval said the BI would be expanding its investigation with the help of other law enforcement and intelligence agencies.