Manila court bars Chinese, Taiwanese nationals in P6.4B shabu smuggling case from leaving PH

National Bureau of Investigation personnel display hundreds of plastic bags containing kilos of shabu, part of a P6.4-billion shipment seized from a warehouse in Valenzuela City, on May 27, 2017, based on a tip from Chinese authorities. (MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer file photo)

A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has issued hold departure orders (HDO) against six foreigners tagged in the controversial P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China.

In a court hearing on Friday, Manila RTC Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa granted the motion of state prosecutors to bar Chinese nationals Richard Chen, Manny Li, Kenneth Dong, and Chen Rong Huan; and Taiwanese citizens Chen I-Min and Jhu Ming Jyun from leaving the country.

The judge agreed with the prosecutors’ motion, which stated that the probability of flight of the accused, being Chinese and Taiwanese citizens, was “strong to escape prosecution, as well as to avoid facing their criminal liability and thus frustrate the ends of justice.”

An HDO would direct the Bureau of Immigration to bar the Chinese and Taiwanese national from leaving the country.

The foreigners, along with alleged Customs fixer Mark Taguba II, Eirene Mae Tatad, and Teejay Marcellana, were charged before the court after the Department of Justice found probable cause to indict them for illegal drug importation and transportation in the country. /kga