Mendoza to CIDG: Probe Batangas ‘shabu smuggling’

Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Southern Tagalog to thoroughly investigate the alleged smuggling of shabu at the Batangas port late last week.

Director Efren Fernandez, chief of the PNP Narcotics Group, said they will also conduct a separate inquiry. He admitted being unaware of the incident until it was reported in the media.

Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman, said Superintendent Maximo Malabanan, CIDG-Southern Tagalog chief, was told to submit a comprehensive report on the alleged drug shipment from a Chinese vessel.

Malabanan’s men in Batangas, along with Camp Crame-based CIDG agents and local personnel of the Maritime Group, tried to intercept the alleged drug shipment but failed, reportedly due to the bureaucratic red tape of the Bureau of Customs at the Batangas port.

The CIDG and Maritime Police operatives rushed to the port last Friday afternoon following supposed confirmed reports that a Chinese vessel, M/V United Talent, which dropped anchor some three kilometers from the pier, had allegedly unloaded 30 kilos of shabu.

They tried to board the vessel but were barred because Customs port collector Napoleon Morales, supposedly the only one who could give the clearance, was not around. They were later told to produce a written request to board the vessel.

They returned with the document the next day. They were finally permitted to board the vessel after much prodding but the ship was already empty by then.

Morales denied the CIDG team’s allegations, arguing that under Customs law, the bureau has the sole authority to search and inspect any vessel and seize or forfeit any questionable cargo.

"If we permit everybody or anybody who introduces himself as a government authority to board and search any vessel docked in this port, could you imagine how chaotic it would be?" he said.

"Assuming that there was shabu loaded on that vessel, it would be admissible in court. The police cannot use it as evidence because of the technicality on how it was recovered," he added. — With Arnell Ozaeta