4 Chinese nationals in P7-B drug raid charged

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice on Monday charged four Chinese nationals arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of P7 billion in San Fernando City, Pampanga last Friday.

Suspects Jason Lee, Willy Yap and Near Tan from Xiamen and Ying Huang from Fujian underwent inquest proceedings accompanied by a state-provided lawyer from the Public Attorney's Office, a state news report noted.

Assistant State Prosecutor Michael Vito Cruz led the inquest against the Chinese men and woman for perceived violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001.

The arrests were made during a raid in two warehouses in Fernando subdivisions by members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police's anti-illegal drugs task force.

Seized at the site were 1,000 kilograms of white crystalline substances suspected as shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, and ephedrine.

The operations were under a search warrant issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 78.

A Parañaque court, meanwhile, sentenced three Chinese nationals last month to life imprisonment after they were caught inside a shabu laboratory in 2010.

Twelve Chinese fishermen were also convicted last August by a Palawan court and sentenced to six to 12 years in jail for poaching after their vessel was stranded in Tubbataha Reef.