MANILA, Philippines — Former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. personally appeared before the Senate on Monday to attend a Senate panel’s investigation into allegedly leaked drug documents.
It took two letters, a subpoena, and a threat of arrest warrant from Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa for Ochoa to finally show up at the probe.
Former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa arrives at the Senate for the “PDEA leaks” probe on Monday, May 20, 2024. (Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net)
Dela Rosa’s committee on public order and dangerous drugs is investigating the alleged “leaked” Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) documents linking certain personalities, like President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to illegal drugs.
READ: Dela Rosa: Arrest warrant likely if Ochoa skips PDEA probe again
Former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales dragged Ochoa’s name into the picture.
Morales claimed that it was, in fact, the former executive secretary who allegedly ordered not to proceed with the supposed buy-bust operation contained in pre-operational documents he signed on March 11, 2012.
READ: Ochoa tests positive for COVID-19, misses PDEA leak probe anew
Dela Rosa admitted that he is convinced that the “leaked” documents are not fabricated.
Before the senator’s remarks, PDEA debunked what it called “fake” operational documents, saying that it “ran a check through its Plans and Operations Reports Management Information System and found that no such operation was logged” on March 11, 2012.