Panel wants another defendant to testify vs. his co-accused

The congressional committee on dangerous drugs yesterday hoped to bring another defendant, Joseph Yu, to testify against his co-accused, particularly on alleged financier Calvin Tan, of the busted shabu laboratory operation in Mandaue City.

This was after the prosecution succeeded in placing on the witness stand Hung Chin Chang, one of the defendants in the case, against his co-accused during the continuation of the trial at the Regional Trial Court, under Judge Marilyn Yap, last Friday.

Rep. Antonio Cuenco, co-chair of the committee, yesterday said his committee has been hoping that Yu will testify also against Tan and other co-accused in the case.

"We are still hoping Mr. Yu will cooperate and he is very welcome to tell the truth and nothing but the truth," Rep. Cuenco said.

Hung, in his testimony, had alleged that the financier of the shabu operations was Calvin Tan, who they called as "Boss Calvin"-statements that corroborated with the past testimonies of Tamadoni Morteza, the prosecution's much ballyhooed star witness.

As such, Rep. Cuenco clarified that the previous testimonies of Hung, also known as Simon Lao, were enough to establish the involvement of Tan, and what the prosecution wants now is to substantiate Tan's local contacts in the drug business.

The congressional committee, headed by Rep. Roque Ablan, has at least 10 names of local contacts but their reported involvement in the operation of the shabu laboratory in Umapad Mandaue City is still being validated.

Meanwhile, Rep. Cuenco refused to comment about lawyer Atty. Gloria Dalawampu's acceptance as legal counsel of Tan.

Dalawampu was the lawyer of Mandaue City Mayor Teddy Ouano at the height of the shabu laboratory controversy when the mayor was at some point accused of having links to the illegal operation.

"Iya (Dalawampu) man nang trabaho, dili lang ko mo-comment ana. It's up to the public to comment why she accepted it," Cuenco said. - Ramil V. Ayuman