Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Liu arraigned as he faces ‘eviction’
WHISTLEBLOWER-turned-accused Bernard Liu pleaded not guilty to a drug trafficking charge yesterday, while the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 asked the court to evict him from their stockade.
It took more than an hour before Liu was arraigned because he was not picked up by operatives of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) from the CIDG 7 detention cell.
Assistant City Prosecutor Jesus Feliciano said there was confusion on who should be issued the subpoena.
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Fortunato de Gracia asked CIDG 7 Director Senior Supt. Jose Jorge Corpuz to call his men to bring the accused to the courtroom.
Corpuz then questioned who will escort Liu since it was the BJMP’s job, not the CIDG’s, to accompany Liu.
Eventually, Liu arrived around 10 a.m., when the arraignment was scheduled at 8:30 a.m.
The prosecution presented an affidavit that Liu signed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Liu stated he smuggled 40 kilos of shabu from Hong Kong to Cebu for his former bosses, allegedly the Lim brothers.
Witness
The affidavit was the basis for Judge de Gracia’s warrant of arrest against Liu.
In 2001, Liu testified before a congressional inquiry on the alleged drug activities of the Lim brothers.
Businessmen Peter and Wellington Lim have denied involvement in the illegal drugs trade.
No charges in relation to drugs were also filed against them.
Another issue tackled yesterday was Liu’s impending eviction from the CIDG 7 stockade.
CIDG 7 submitted a letter-request to the court to transfer Liu, as its office is being renovated.
The order, Corpuz said, also came from Camp Crame.
“We have instructions from Camp Crame to clear out our detention cells of all high-risk prisoners, and that is Bernard Liu,” Corpuz told reporters after the arraignment.
De Gracia found the request “meritorious.”
“It is okay for the court, but it is no longer okay for the jailer,” the judge said of the situation.
Defense lawyer Rod Francis Bagaslao, sitting in for lawyer Briccio Boholst, would have wanted to submit an opposition first, citing Liu’s being a high-risk prisoner.
But Corpuz was not willing to compromise, stating that Liu has been with them since January.
“Definitely I will pull him out on Friday. But I will give you until Friday to choose where you want him (Liu) placed, knowing that some of his friends were already terminated,” de Gracia told Bagaslao in open court.
Initially, Bagaslao wanted Liu detained at the NBI. The judge’s advice is to ask the NBI to attend this Friday’s hearing.
Last choice
Last on the list is the Cebu City jail.
“The BBRC (Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center) is one of the options, but it’s the last. Even Judge de Gracia acknowledged that it’s a bit risky. That’s why we really have to study the matter,” Bagaslao told reporters.
Liu is one of two former employees of the Lim brothers. The other whistleblower, Ananias Dy, was gunned down last July 8, 2006.
Liu is facing drug trafficking charges for allegedly violating Section 3, Article 2 of Republic Act 6425 or the old anti-illegal drugs law, which penalizes the importation and transport of prohibited drugs. (JGA)
