PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas on Monday, February 22, 2021, said they will serve a freeze order on a resort owned by slain convicted drug lord Rustico Ygot in Dumaguete City on Tuesday, February 23.
Sinas said this is the third property of Ygot that was issued a freeze order by the court based on charges filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
“Ito ay isang malaking resort na may bahay din sa loob..Nando’n kami bukas ng 2 p.m.,” he said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
“Siguro ito mas mapapabilis kasi wala nang mag-aapila,” he added.
Ygot, who was arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation in Bohol in 2010 and was convicted in 2013, was killed in a riot inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in October 2020.
His girlfriend, Jocelyn Encila, was arrested in a drug bust in Consolacion town in Cebu on March 3, 2019. Seized from her possession the were P190.4 million worth of illegal drugs.
Police said they have identified at least seven properties which belong to the couple. Freeze orders have been served on two properties.
Sinas said they were continuously conducting investigation to identify the assets of convicted drug lords.
Police earlier served freeze orders on properties owned by Charlie Duhaylungsod, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and the Parojinog clan.
“Meron pa (ibang properties) kaso mahirap i-track, may suspetsa na kami pero ‘yung mga ni-request na mga ebidensya hindi pa namin na complete,” said Sinas.
He said these “hardened criminals” were using dummies to protect their properties.
Sinas was the Central Visayas police regional director when Encila and Duhaylungsod were arrested in 2019.
After the asset freeze orders are served, the AMLC will file a civil forfeiture case before the court so that they can confiscate the frozen assets in favor of the government.
The purpose of the freezing order is to prevent possible use of the property as a storage house of illegal drugs as well as its disposal.
Meanwhile, Sinas said they were coordinating with the AMLC for the freezing of assets of other convicted criminals in the country.
Together with the AMLC, they were training their personnel in order to help the council build a tight case against convicted criminals. (SunStar Philippines)