DOJ hands off ex-narc’s custody transfer plea

Former PDEA official Ferdinand Marcelino (left) faces the continuation of the preliminary hearing on the drug raps filed against him. TARRA QUISMUNDO/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice (DOJ) will respect the position of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on retaining custody of detained former top anti-drug agent Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, acting Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas said Thursday.

In a presser, Caparas said the DOJ would stick to its mandate of determining probable cause in non-bailable drug charges filed against Marcelino and Chinese national Yan Yi Shuo, who were both arrested in a drug laboratory in Manila with 64 kilos of crystal meth (shabu) worth P320 million.

READ: Former PDEA official, Chinese national nabbed for P320-M ‘shabu’

“The PNP has made very clear that they do not want any transfer, they want to retain jurisdiction of Mr. Marcelino. So we will leave it at that,” Caparas told reporters.

“Our job is to determine probable case… We will not meddle with the issue of who should have custody or jurisdiction,” Caparas said.

The PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group on Wednesday opposed Marcelino’s plea to be moved to the National Bureau of Investigation or the Philippine Navy citing security concerns.

READ: DOJ backs Marcelino’s bid to be transferred to NBI or Navy detention

The Navy has a separate request to take custody of Marcelino, being still in active service.

He and Yan are currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City under the joint watch of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In rejecting the transfer plea, the PNP said granting the transfer would set “a bad precedent and open the floodgate of a similar request” from military men currently detained for various offenses. RAM

READ: PNP objects to busted ex-narc’s bid to be transferred detention