Former PDEA official Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino escorted by PDEA agents after inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON
Drug syndicates are celebrating the friction among government’s anti-drug enforcement units, Atty. Dennis Manalo, counsel for Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino said.
Marcelino, together with his Chinese companion, was arrested last Jan. 21 in a drug bust conducted in Manila.
In his counter-affidavit, Marcelino said the root cause of his arrest was because Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chief Arturo Cacdac was “historically irate” at his continued involvement in the anti-drug campaign of the government.
READ: Marcelino to go on hunger strike; blasts ‘historically irate’ PDEA chief
“His animosity towards me is known in the PDEA. I have been informed of his verbal tirades against me, one of which I recall, when I was in Hong Kong attending a court hearing. As part of the requirements, I requested PDEA for a certification that I have no case pending. It reached me that Director Cacdac said that ‘bakit ba hindi na lang manghuli ng Abu Sayyaf iyan sa Basilan? Bakit ba nakikialam pa yan sa drugs (Why don’t he (Marcelino) just capture the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan? Why is he meddling with drugs?)’”
“I could not understand how he can be harsh on me despite all my contributions and sacrifices to help fight powerful drug syndicates,” said Marcelino.
Manalo said: “I am starting to entertain the idea that the drug syndicates who are behind the operations in the area were able to maneuver things in such a way two agencies in government who are dealing with drug investigation would have a misencounter.”
“True enough because of this misencounter, nagkaroon ng (there have been) misapprehension of facts…As I said earlier, nagbubunyi dito ang drug syndicates. Sila ang masaya na ang ating drug enforcement units ay nagaaway (Drug syndicates are celebrating. They are happy that our drug enforcement units are arguing),” he added.
Marcelino and 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.
Both were arrested last Jan. 21 following a drug bust at No. 15, Block 17, Lot 6 Mahogany Street, Celadon Residences, Felix Huertas Road, Barangay (village) 350 Zone 35 in Manila.
READ: Top narc busted: Say it ain’t so, Col. Marcelino
Authorities confiscated 76,697.7 grams of shabu worth over P380-million.
Manalo said the question that should be answered by the authorities is who owns the house.
“It has not yet been established by the evidence. Sino ang occupant ng bahay na yun? Sino ang real drug manufacturer (Who is the occupant of that house? Who is the real drug manufacturer?),” he said. RAM
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