Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON
The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Thursday sought the release of Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino following a Department of Justice (DOJ) resolution ordering the withdrawal of the P380-million drug case filed against him and his Chinese asset Yan Yi Shou.
READ: DOJ drops P380M drug case vs Marcelino, Chinese cohort
PAO head, lawyer Persida Acosta, said PAO already filed an omnibus manifestation with motion to join the prosecution’s motion to withdraw the information and for the issuance of release order before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 49 to facilitate the release of the detained military official.
Acosta said the motion is not a litigated motion as the prosecution and defense have already joined in the withdrawal of information and to issue a release order against Marcelino, who has been detained at the custodial center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo.
“We filed an Omnibus Manifestation with motion to join the prosecution’s motion to withdraw information and for issuance of release order. We’re only waiting for the release order to be signed by the judge so that we can proceed to the place where he is being detained at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City,” Acosta told reporters during the press conference on Thursday in Manila.
Acosta said Marcelino should even be rewarded, commended and given a medal of valor, instead of framing him up and incarcerating him.
“He was set up. He was never involved in illegal drug trade in fact, he busted many big-time drug operations around the country,” Acosta said.
She added that it will just be a matter of time before the court issues a release order.
Marcelino is currently detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines while Yan is at the National Bureau of Investigation. JPV/rga