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[av_heading heading=’‘Sloppy’ PDEA plaint led to Faeldon case dismissal – Aguirre ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, November 26, 2017
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MANILA – The Justice department blamed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for the dismissal of charges against former Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon for the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu.
“Sloppy” was how Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II described the illegal drug and graft complaints that the PDEA filed on Faeldon and 11 other former Customs officials.
“Read first the complaint of the PDEA and the findings of the panel and see what kind of evidence they submitted,” Aguirre said. “You should not be too quick in drawing your own conclusion.”
In a 95-page resolution released last Wednesday, a Justice department panel recommended the dismissal of charges against the 12 accused due to lack of evidence.
“The evidence adduced by the PDEA in support of the charges were insufficient to establish probable case,” read part of the resolution. “Thus, the Panel is constrained to take into consideration the defense raised by the respondents.”
But the move drew flak from senators, who recommended the filing of charges against some Customs officials named in a blue ribbon committee draft report.
While Faeldon and company were absolved, the Justice department recommended charging 10 people led by Customs broker Mark Taguba with importing and selling illegal drugs.
According to Aguirre, the Justice department’s preliminary investigation “does not depend on the investigation by them (senators).”
“While we use the information and pieces of evidence presented during the Senate hearings, [they] should be presented by the complainant to us,” the secretary said./PN
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