Groups show support for Col. Marcelino, call for his release
Support poured at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino who was arrested last Jan. 21 in a drug bust at an apartment in Celadon Residences on Felix Huertas and Batangas Streets in Sta. Cruz where over P300-million worth of shabu was confiscated.
Members of indigenous community from Quezon as well as members of the urban poor group in Navotas held a protest rally outside DOJ to call for Marcelino’s release.
Antonieta Villaruel, a member of the Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Maralitang Navoteño, said she has known the Marcelino family for 10 years and does not believe the accusation against him.
The indigenous people from Quezon, on the other hand, said Marcelino has done so much for their community.
Marcelino together with Yan Yi Shuo are facing a complaint for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act particularly for manufacture, conspiracy to manufacture and possession of illegal drugs.
READ: Top narc busted: Say it ain’t so, Col. Marcelino
They were arrested last Jan. 21 following a drug bust at No. 15, Block 17, Lot 6 Mahogany Street, Celadon Residences, Felix Huertas Road, Barangay 350 Zone 35 in Manila.
Authorities confiscated 76,697.7 grams of shabu worth over P380-million.
READ: Former PDEA official nabbed says he’s doing ‘intelligence work’
“Nalulungkot kami sa nangyayari na pinagbibintangan ang kapatid namin na drug lord,” Marcelino’s brother Boy told INQUIRER.net.
He said if his brother was a drug lord, how come his family is still poor.
“Mahirap lang kami. My brother dedicated his life to fighting drugs,” Boy Marcelino, a community worker said.
“Yung accusations sa kanya is very far from the truth. Even after his stay at PDEA, he continued his work against drugs,” Nia Reyes, Marcelino’s childhood friend said.
READ: Former PDEA official, Chinese national nabbed for P320-M ‘shabu’
The Missionary Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM) were also at the DOJ for the colonel. His sister is a member of ICM.
Marcelino became known after he arrested the so-called “Alabang boys” in 2008 and exposed an alleged P50-million bribery in exchange for the release of the suspects.
His intelligence information also led to the discovery of a clandestine drug laboratory in Camiling, Tarlac province, in 2014 where the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized shabu worth P3-billion as well as the December 2014 raid at the New Bilibid Prison led by then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
