Lacson to DOJ: Stop deportation of Chinese drug convicts

MANILA, Philippines – The five convicted Chinese drug lords currently under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) should not be deported yet, Senator Panfilo Lacson stressed on Friday.

“Sana maagapan ang mga Chinese na nakakulong pa sa BI. Yan ang ating dapat maipanawagan kay Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra kasi under niya ang BuCor (I hope Justice Secretary Guevarra can still stop the deportation of the Chinese convicts who are still detained at the Bureau of Immigration),” the senator said in an interview on radio station dzBB.

“Kasi pag na-deport na yan wala na tayong habol doon. Kasi mamaya makabalik pa rito under an assumed name mag-drug trafficking na naman (Once they are deported, we can no longer go after them.  They might return using another name and resume their drug trafficking activities),” he added.

Lacson earlier revealed that the Chinese nationals were released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) as early as June this year.

He added that another Chinese drug lord was turned over to the BI for deportation.

BI Deputy Spokesperson Melvin Mabulac later confirmed that the Chinese nationals are currently detained at the BI’s warden facility and are awaiting deportation “for being undesirable alien for being accused and/or convicted of a crime.”

Lacson, however, believes they should stay in the custody of Philippine authorities.

Lacson made the revelation on the convicted Chinese nationals amid controversies surrounding Republic Act No. 10592 or the law that increased the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) that reduced the sentence of inmates.

BuCor and the Department of Justice (DOJ) said more than 10,000 inmates, including convicted rapist-murderer and former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, may walk free due to “good behavior.”

But following public outcry over Sanchez’ possible release, Guevarra has since suspended the processing of the early release for good conduct of inmates.

READ: DOJ suspends early release of convicts 

The Senate is set to investigate the implementation of the said law next week.

“Tatanong natin kay Sec. Guevarra dahil sabi niya nirerepaso nila, sinuspend lahat. Ang tanong, ang mga turned over na sa BI na Chinese nationals, ang 5, dahil nasa custody natin, pwede pa ba habulin at i-suspend ang deportation proceedings at ibalik sa Muntinlupa (New Bilibid Prison) habang nire-review ng DOJ?” Lacson said.

“At the very least huwag na muna i-deport. Hayaan muna silang makulong sa BI at kung masama sila sa sinuspinde, sa order of suspension ng SOJ (Secretary of Justice), ibalik sila sa Muntinlupa,” he further said. /gsg