Devanadera orders indictment of alleged shabu laboratory financier

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera yesterday ordered the indictment of the alleged financier of the shabu laboratory raided by police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in La Union in July last year.

This followed the reversal by the Office of the President of the resolution approved by her predecessor, Secretary Raul Gonzalez, clearing Joselito Artuz alias George Cordero.

Devanadera issued a memorandum ordering prosecutors to include Artuz as accused in the pending case at a La Union court involving the raid of the clandestine laboratory in Barangay Bimmotobot in Naguilian town on July 9 last year.

Devanadera said the order was issued pursuant to the decision signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita reversing the earlier findings of Gonzalez that there was no due process accorded to Artuz.

“Based on the review, there is evidence showing participation of Artuz. Also, his name was mentioned by other witnesses,” the Justice secretary stressed.

According to the Palace review, due process was accorded to Artuz since he even had a barrage of lawyers during preliminary investigation and that he was also positively identified by a witness as one of the main players in the illegal drug trade in the province.

Devanadera said new prosecutors would be assigned to handle the case.

“This case is important since it has proven the significance of vigilance of the community in drug cases,” she explained.

Artuz was arrested along with several Chinese nationals during the raid. He was charged with conspiring in the manufacture of shabu under Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

The raid led to the confiscation of six truckloads of essential raw materials, equipment, precursors, chemical and paraphernalia used in the manufacture of shabu worth billions of pesos.

Apart from Artuz and several Chinese nationals who were also arrested in the raid, 44 other police officers were implicated in the case after reinvestigation.

The Office of the La Union Provincial Prosecutor later recommended the filing of charges against Artuz, alleged drug protector Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo and a Chinese national.

Charges of murder will also be filed against him and his cohorts for the death of a certain Ronnie, who was tagged as the electrician-carpenter of the shabu laboratory.

Last June 2, Artuz filed a petition for review after a witness recanted his statement that implicated him. On the same day, Gonzalez issued Resolution No. IS 06-615-LU-BG directing the provincial prosecutor to withdraw the information filed against Artuz.

The provincial prosecutor also ordered the dismissal of cases against other suspects, namely PO3 Joey Abang, PO1 Rodolfo Damian, PO2 Walter Banan, and caretaker Eusebio Tangalin.

Secretary Gonzalez left the DOJ last June 15 after he was appointed as chief presidential legal adviser.

This prompted concerned residents led by La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera to appeal the DOJ resolution.

As prescribed by Presidential Executive Order 253, all drug cases dismissed in court since Jan. 29 should be forwarded to the Office of the President for review.

EO 253 was issued after President Arroyo declared herself as the country’s anti-drug czar, a role she took up after learning that a number of Justice prosecutors had recommended the dismissal of the drug case against three scions of wealthy families in Alabang and Quezon City. – With Jun Elias