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Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Trader nabbed for drug lord links
By Joey P. Nacalaban
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Anti-drug agents arrested on Monday a Chinese-Filipino businessman for alleged involvement in the manufacturing and trafficking of the illegal drug methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
One of the arresting officers, police officer Rico Justalero, identified the suspect as Juan Tan, a resident of Youngsville Subdivision in Opol, Misamis Oriental.
Justalero said he and other members of the Cagayan de Oro City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) arrested Tan for alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, an accusation that the suspect denied. He added that Tan has ties to Chinese drug lords in the city.
Justalero alleged that Tan works with suspected drug lord Johnson Chua, alias "Greg Sia", and some Taiwanese nationals.
A police report said Chua and his cohorts are involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of shabu.
Another of the arresting police officers, Francisco Dayan-dayan Jr., said it was Tan's name that was being reflected in the rental papers of a shabu laboratory in Barangay Cugman.
Tan admitted being once one of Chua's trusted men but that he separated from their group in 1993 yet.
"Naay panahon nga gamiton ni Chua akong ngalan aron makakuha siya og papeles sa pagpahimutang sa iyang negosyo," Tan said. (There was a time when Chua would use my name to get papers to set up his business.)
Dayan-Dayan said Tan has been the subject of a month-long surveillance by their group.
As a result of the surveillance, Judge Noli Catli of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 25 issued on August 31 a warrant for Tan's arrest.
Last May 5, a warehouse located in Zone 6 was also raided by authorities.
During the search, lawmen were able to confiscate precursors and essential chemicals, finished products, laboratory equipment, and apparatus for manufacturing illegal drugs.
Superintendent Rene Orbe, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) head, and Mayor Vicente Emano, cleared the businessman who owned the warehouse, saying he had nothing to do with the illegal drugs. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
(September 28, 2005 issue)
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