The Department of Justice has recommended the filing of drug-related charges against four Chinese nationals who were arrested in a raid on a "mega" shabu laboratory and storage facility in Pampanga in September.
More than P7 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and ingredients for producing the drug were seized during the said raid.
More than P7 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and ingredients for producing the drug were seized during the said raid.
In a resolution, Assistant State Prosecutor Michael Vito Cruz recommended that charges be filed in court against Near Tan, Willy Yap, Jason Lee alias Jun Lee, and Ying Ying Huang alias Sophie Lee. All suspects, except for Huang, are from Xiamen, China. Huang is from Fujian province.
The three men were charged with violation of Sections 8 and two counts of violation of Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for the manufacturing and possession of illegal drugs.
"It is clear they are engaged in the manufacture of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors/essential chemicals as shown by the seized evidence at Greenville Subd., Bgy. San Jose, San Fernando City, Pampanga," said the prosecutor in a resolution, copies of which the media obtained on Monday.
He added that the presence of essential ingrediemts in making illegal drugs was "prima facie" proof of the manufacture of the drugs.
Vito Cruz concluded that the three Chinese men acted in conspiracy with each other "to perform overt acts in furtherance of their ultimate goal which is the operation of a clandestine laboratory, manufacturing of illegal drugs."
The female suspect, Huang, meanwhile, was charged only for violation of Section 11 (possession) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 , as the DOJ prosecutor found no insufficient evidence to link her in the operation of her alleged husband Jason Lee in manufacturing the seized illegal drugs.
"Relationship does not establish conspiracy... the existence of conspiracy cannot be presumed—the elements of conspiracy must be proven beyond reasonable doubt," said Vito Cruz.
The Chinese nationals had earlier been assisted during the inquest proceedings by the Public Attorney's Office.
During the proceedings, the Chinese individuals opted to have their case submitted for resolution.
Vito Cruz said "positive declaration prevail over bare denial" of the suspects, saying that a September 13 chemistry report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Laboratory Service on specimens obtained from the seized drugs confirmed these were methamphetamine hydrochloride.
The Philippine National Police's Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and PDEA arrested the suspects in two separate raids in a "warehouse" in Greenville Subdivision, Barangay San Jose, and in another "warehouse" in Richtown Subdivision, Barangay Sindalan, both in San Fernando City.
Several boxes of shabu were seized in a house in Greenville Subdivision where three of the suspects were arrested.
Authorities said they recovered more than 1,000 kilos of shabu from a makeshift laboratory. The estimated street value of the drugs was placed at P7 billion.
Also seized were 975 kilos of ephedrine, a main ingredient in the production of shabu. The amount of ephedrine could churn out some 300 kilos of shabu in one week, authorities had said.
A second operation at a designated warehouse at the corner of Rome and Moscow Streets in Richtown 1 Subdivision, Barangay Sindalan yielded 250 kilos of drugs. Huang, said to be Jason Lee's wife, was arrested in the second raid.
The PNP and PDEA speculated that the suspects chose San Fernando City as their base of operations because of its easy access to the North Luzon Expressway. —© Provided by KG, GMA News
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