Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 has ordered the arrest of Customs fixer Mark Taguba and seven others in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that breezed through the Bureau of Customs (BoC) last year.
In a warrant of arrest signed January 30, the court directed law enforcers to apprehend Taguba as well as Li Guang Feng alias Manny Li, Dong Yi Shen Xi alias Kenneth Dong, Eirene Mae Tatad, Teejan Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu Ming Jhyun, and Chen Rong Juan.
The court did not recommend bail for the respondents, who were accused of violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for importation of dangerous drugs.
Meanwhile, Chen Ju Long, also known as Richard Tan or Richard Chen, owner of Hongfei Logistics Group of Companies, Inc., was excluded in the arrest order because of a pending motion he filed, asking the court to dismiss the case against him.
The controversial illegal drug shipment was delivered to Hongfei Warehouse in Valenzuela City after its release from the BoC in May 2017.
This case was originally filed before a Valenzuela Regional Trial Court but was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, re-filed it with the Manila court. /kga
READ: DOJ files new drug case vs Taguba, et al. in P6.4B shabu shipment