Nabbed Chinese national says he was forced to implicate Marcelino in drug bust

The Chinese national arrested in a drug bust last month that yielded over P380-million worth of illegal drugs said the police forced him to admit his and Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino’s involvement in the operation of a clandestine shabu laboratory in Manila.

In his seven-page counter-affidavit, Yan Yi Shou said after they were presented to the media as suspects, he was separated from Marcelino by members of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG).

“Pilit nila akong pinapaamin sa mga bagay na hindi ko talaga alam at pilit nila akong hinihikayat na magbigay ng salaysay laban kay Col. Marcelino,” Yan’s affidavit read.

“Pinalo pa ako ng remote control ng TV sa ulo ng isang pulis nang tumanggi ako sa gusto nilang ipagawa sa akin,” he added.

Yan said he and Marcelino gave their lives to help the government in its anti-drug campaign.

He said the information he has provided since he started working as an action agent in 2008 of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has led to successful operations.

Marcelino took his services for the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), Yan said.

Yan also vouched for Marcelino’s integrity.

“Simula nang makilala ko si Lt. Col. Marcelino ay sa kanya ko lamang ipinagkakatiwala ang mga impormasyon na aking nakakalap sapagkat buo ang aking tiwala sa kanyang kakayahan upang pamahalaan ang bawat operasyon laban sa illegal na droga at walang kuwestyon o bahod ng pagdududa ang kanyang integridad.

“Ipinagkakatiwala ko din ang aking buhay kay Lt. Col. Marcelino sapagkat hindi siya katulad ng ibang opisyal na aking nakilala na walang sariling pagkilos at nag uutos lamang sa mga tauhan habang nakaupo sa kanilang opisina. Personal na sinusuri at inaalam ni Lt. Col. Marcelino ang mga impormasyon na aking ibinibigay hinggil sa mga hinihinalaang kuta ng mga sindikato ng droga upang matiyak na limitado at tanging ang mga tao na kinakailangang makaalam lamang ng impormasyon ang makababatid nito,” the counter-affidavit read.

According to Yan, they were at the house in Felix Huertas to verify his suspicion that there is an illegal activity going on in the area.

He said his hunch started when he again encountered an old friend, fellow Chinese national named “Tonga” who has a general merchandise business in the province.

Yan said he sensed that something was amiss because Tonga was playing hard in the casino and had a lot of money.

Yan said Tonga even gave him P10,000.

“Kinutuban ako na maaring may ibang negosyo si Tonga o ‘di kaya ay bahagi siya ng isang sindikato ng mga Chinese sapagkat sa aking kalkulasyon ay hindi niya maaaring kitain ang ganun kalaking halaga kung pagtitinda lamang ng general merchandise and kanyang negosyo gaya ng aking pagkakaalam.

“[M]inarapat kong higit na alamin ang kanyang pagkatao at hinikayat siyang tulungan ako sa aking hanap-buhay bilang driver, maghatid at magsundo sa airport o samahan ang mga kaibigan niya na dumadating sa Maynila o maglalaro sa Casino,” Yan’s counter-affidavit read.

Last Jan. 19, Yan said Tonga called him and asked him to turn off the air conditioning unit and light of a friend’s townhouse at the back of SM San Lazaro. He said Tonga arranged to have the key to the townhouse delivered to Yan. He added that he was also allowed to use the car of the unit owner named Paya in going to the place.

Yan said he relayed his suspicion to Marcelino whom he had worked with in several anti-drug operations.

But Yan said Marcelino told him to further verify his suspicion, adding that the information he has was raw.

“Sinabi niya na pwede naming i-verify kung totoo nga ang hinala ko na may illegal na droga sa unit ng townhouse na iyon, tutal naman ay papunta na din kami ng Maynila. Sakaling mag-positive ang impormasyon, madali naman umano siyang makakatawag kay Director Mendez ng NBI at may guards naman ang townhouse upang ma-secure ang unit,” Yan said.

Contrary to the claims of PDEA and PNP-AIDG that Marcelino and Yan were already inside the house when then entered, Yan said when they arrived in the area and while they were outside the house, Marcelino asked him to go to the guards to open the light because it was too dark. When he was about to leave, operatives from PDEA and AIDG entered and told them to lie face down.

He said the case against them should be dismissed because claims of the authorities are far from the truth.