11 persons of interest identified in Laos drug haul

MANILA, Philippines — Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla yesterday identified 11 persons of interest (POIs), including a former Bangsamoro Parliament member, in the shipment of 521 kilos of suspected shabu worth P3.5 billion from Laos into the country.

At a Palace briefing, Remulla identified the POIs as Fahad Mulok Dibarosan, Rioklyn Pizarras Toledo, Police Master Sergeant Aileen Jayne Manalo Mendoza, Abdullah Rimbang Macarimbang, Aldren Nadal Samante, Rudy Isidro, Abdulkarim Macalatas, Christian Fabrigas, Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang (alias Sultan), Rohaniah Rimbang and Hilario de Vera.

Remulla was accompanied by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jose Melencio Nartatez jr. and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency assistant secretary Renato Gumban.

The shipment was on a chartered private Learjet 55 – with United States registration number N73GP – seized by Laotian authorities on Oct. 1 at the Luang Prabang International Airport. Philippine authorities have valued the haul at about P3.5 billion.

Remulla said Fahad Dibarosan was the one arrested in Laos.

“Nasser (Rimbang) is believed to be the financier of the entire operation. He is married to Princess Balabi Hadja Noriah, who is the sister of the wife of Fahad,” the DILG chief said.

Rimbang lost in the last Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections, Remulla said.

He said Toledo was the one who allegedly procured the aircraft, while Mendoza arranged the flight and designated arrival hangar for the aircraft from Laos.

Gumban said Toledo contacted Mendoza, who is a member of the Aviation Security Group.

Nartatez said Mendoza had been relieved of her post and is now under restrictive custody at the Aviation Security Group.

Rimbang, meanwhile, is reportedly in the Philippines, the PNP chief said.

Macalatas was the consignee supposed to receive the shipment here, Remulla said.

The DILG chief said the aircraft was supposed to land in Manila in the last week of September and park at the MAPTRA hangar, which was arranged by Mendoza.

PNP tracking others

Intelligence and investigative units of the PNP are tracking other personalities who are connected with the suspected shabu shipment intercepted in Laos.

Nartatez said yesterday the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Police Drug Enforcement Group are working with other government agencies to identify other people involved in the massive drug cargo.

Among these are members of local drug trafficking networks and domestic facilitators who may have been involved.

Another shipment involving 1,178 kilos of shabu worth P8.01 billion was seized in Thailand on Oct. 7. Authorities said the illegal drugs were also bound for the Philippines.

Delayed flight

The Learjet in Laos with the seized drugs was supposed to land at the General Aviation Hangar of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sept. 26, but the flight did not push through.

The aircraft with two Malaysian pilots was cornered by Laos authorities on Oct. 1. 

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Aerosky Service Corp., based in the Philippines, requested the flight plan for the Learjet on behalf of CGTAsia, based in Singapore, on Sept. 24 for Sept. 26, for a permit to land at NAIA’s aviation hangar.

The initial flight permit application for the aircraft was submitted on Sept. 24 for a planned route from Laos to the Philippines and onward to Malaysia, the CAAP said. 

Both Malaysian pilots were listed in the flight plan and hold licenses issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. 

According to reports, the cargo of the Learjet was declared as “vape,” but the Malaysian pilots allegedly did not agree with the weight of the cargo, which they claimed was so heavy and might affect the balance of the aircraft.

The pilots also allegedly asked for the cargo’s permits until Laos authorities seized it and held the aircraft, holding responsible some police and X-ray personnel for the drug smuggling attempt. 

The CAAP said the scheduled flight date was revised three times, with Oct. 1 set as the final arrival date in Manila. However, CAAP found no record of N73GP entering Philippine airspace.

The authorities likewise found no record of flights under the aircraft’s registration in Philippine airspace within its available records.