Escaped drug trafficker indicted

A Korean-American, who had escaped from police custody while detained at a hospital in Quezon City, has been indicted for drug trafficking by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Jun No, alias Justine and Jazz, was charged with violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. This was after he was caught selling party drugs worth P420,000 in Pasay City on April 5 during an entrapment operation conducted by the newly created Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) of the Philippine National Police.

In a resolution, Assistant State Prosecutor Noel Antay said there was “sufficient evidence” to file the criminal case against the foreigner while his arrest “[could not] be considered illegal.”

“In the instant case, evidence presented by complainant PNP-DEG clearly established that (No) illegally transacted (and) sold 140 tablets of ‘Ecstasy’ to (an undercover agent) in a buy-bust operation,” read the DOJ resolution dated April 7, a copy of which was released to media only yesterday.

“Further, recovered from the respondent is the boodle money used in the operation,” it added.

However, No’s formal trial may be indefinitely put on hold after he slipped out of his room at East Avenue Medical Center on Black Saturday while one of his two police escorts was sleeping. He was taken to the hospital for acute appendicitis.

SPO2 Michael Macarubbo and PO1 Ernie Eugenio have already been charged for their criminal and administrative liability in No’s escape.