PNP, PDEA appeal Marcelino acquittal

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse its findings dismissing the charges against Marine Lt. Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino.

In a 16-page joint motion, the PNP-AIDG and PDEA said the dismissal of the drug charges against Marcelino and Yan Yi Shuo by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva was “utterly baseless, exceedingly arbitrary and grossly unjustified.”

They insisted that they have submitted ample evidence to establish probable cause.

They cited a transcript of a phone conversation between Marcelino and Yan showing that “the two planned to transfer the drugs inside the laboratory because they thought that PDEA is monitoring the area” and that they also “planned to give the drugs to a certain Tony.”

The PNP-AIDG and PDEA reiterated their allegation that the presence of the two respondents in the house in Manila where P256 million worth of shabu was seized last January could be considered circumstantial evidence.

Marcelino, during preliminary investigation, said he had a mission order to justify his presence at the house.