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Saturday, December 13, 2003
4 foreigners caught in Cavite drug raid charged
By Benjamin B. Pulta
STATE lawyers have approved the filing of alleged illegal possession of drugs and firearms charges against three Chinese nationals and a Taiwanese arrested in a raid at shabu laboratory in Tanza, Cavite, last July.
Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuņo Friday approved the filing of drug charges against the four for the illegal manufacture of shabu in the clandestine laboratory before the Trece Martires Regional Trial Court (RTC).
An inquiry into the immigration status of the foreigners led to the discovery of the lab with about 500 kilos of ephedrine and other essential chemicals enough to produce roughly 300 kilos of shabu.
Indicted were Li Lan Yan alias Jackson Dy/Allan Lee, Wang Li Na,
Li Tian Hua alias Dy Keen Ya/Piya - all Chinese nationals; and Yang Ching Yi, a Taiwanese.
A mission order issued by Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Andrea D. Domingo for the foreigners was enforced by immigration agents and elements of the anti-illegal drug special operation task force of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), who went to Room 703, Tower III of the Bayview International Hotel along Roxas Boulevard to check on the alleged undesirable Chinese nationals for possible violation of immigration laws.
The Chinese nationals failed to produce documents to justify their stay in the country.
The foreigners' Filipino driver, Moreto Flores Aburido, reported to authorities about the group's alleged illegal activities and led the team to a laboratory at 617 Kaunlaran, Barangay Kapipisa, Tanza, Cavite.
While waiting for a search warrant from Branch 23 of the Trece Martires RTC, Yang jumped over the concrete fence of the laboratory and was apprehended later.
Documents showed that Li Lan Yan purchased the house from a certain Ernesto
Pangilinan and converted it into a shabu laboratory.
"The presence of laboratory equipment, 549.672 kilograms of ephedrine and essential chemicals for processing shabu and shabu still being processed or in liquid form consisting of 295 kilos and 2.5 liters, respectively, are prima facie proof of the manufacture of the dangerous drug," State Prosecutor Pablo C. Formaran III said in a resolution.
"The failure of the respondents Li Lan Yan and Yang Ching Yi to refute the evidence linking them in the manufacture of shabu undoubtedly strengthened the complainants' case. Both were given ample chance to controvert the charge but they opted to be silent," Formaran added.
(December 13, 2003 issue)
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