CEBU, Philippines - Due to outstanding overstaying fees in the Philippines, the state witness in the mega shabu lab case was not allowed to leave the country.
Alex Tolentino, lawyer of state witness Saimon Lao who also goes by the Chinese name Hung Chin Chang asked the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Justice to waive P187,500 in fines his client has accumulated for overstaying in the country since August 25, 2004.
In his letter, Tolentino asked the government agencies to waive the overstaying fees as his client was in prison for most of his stay.
“For your information, the subject was imprisoned a month after his arrival on Aug. 25, 2004 until Feb. 26, 2012 for he was arrested by some PDEA and police operatives in Mandaue City together with 11 other persons mostly foreigners last September 25, 2004. All of them were charged for violation of Sec. 8, Art. II of Republic Act No. 9165 better known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Law of the Philippines,” read his letter addressed to BI and DOJ.
He added because his client was imprisoned he could not earn anything or raise the said amount.
“Absolutely he has no means to raise this amount. More so, being a state witness, we believe with all honesty that he ought not to be required to pay this amount. Instead, he ought to be given some leeway to hide from his co-accused for his life and limb is always at stake even up to this time,” the letter further read.
Tolentino said his client is now living off the charity of his friends and relatives.
“Since he was imprisoned, he has not had any visitor except his lawyer and the consul from the British Embassy. His family has essentially turned their backs on him and his wife has divorced him too. He is financially broke and is now living off charity,” Tolentino said.
Tolentino said all they have to do is to wait for the answer of the BI and DOJ.
“We hope for the best. We are now waiting for their answer to waive the overstaying fees of my client so that he can be allowed to get out of the country,” he said.
Last Feb. 26, 2012 then judge Marilyn Yap, know a Justice, laid down the ruling convicting the 11 accused for the crime charged.
The accused were arrested while operating a shabu laboratory in Barangay Umapad Mandaue City in Sept. 2004.
Lao was released from jail last Feb. 27.
Tolentino also told The FREEMAN his client has already been removed from the drug watch list. — (FREEMAN)