MANILA — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that it is necessary for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to submit additional evidence versus former Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon and other officials in relation to the PHP6.4 billion shabu shipment from China.
Lacson made this remark after Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that he is “open” to an automatic review after his department decided to drop drug charges against Faeldon.
“Kung automatic review nila at yun pa rin ang ebidensya, anong babaguhin nila (If the review is automatic, and those are the same evidence presented, what would they change? So there’s really a necessity for PDEA to submit additional evidence,” Lacson said.
Lacson is set to meet PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino Wednesday afternoon to talk about the case PDEA filed against Faeldon.
He also said that he is willing to provide PDEA copies of documents they needed.
Last week, senators were shocked by the DOJ decision to clear Faeldon of drug charges but were aware that it was not yet “final.”
“Ang pagka-dismiss, hindi final ‘yan (Dismissal of charges are not final). Because there’s an automatic review by the SOJ (Secretary of Justice),” Lacson said.
Lacson said that it is best to wait for the final disposition before making speculations.
Last August 23, Lacson, in a privilege speech, exposed Faeldon and other BOC officials as having received payoffs from illegal shipments.
Lacson also said that BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña confirmed that Faeldon received some PHP107 million worth of ‘pasalubong’ (payoffs) during his stint.
The senator stressed that it was “unimaginable if not impossible” that the drug shipment would reach a warehouse in Valenzuela City without the participation of the BOC personnel involved.
“Simple logic will tell us that at the very least those under whose watch the drug shipment passed through should be held criminally liable as well,” Lacson said. (PNA)