Shabu lab suspect may get out of jail soon

British-Chinese Simon Lao is now preparing for his possible exit from detention, and flight out of the country once the court grants his discharge from the mega shabu laboratory case.

Lao’s legal counsel, Danilo Yap, is confident that Mandaue City Regional Trial Court Judge Marilyn Yap will grant the motion seeking for Lao’s discharge from the mega shabu lab case, and allow him out of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center following the recent ruling of court making Simon Lao a state witness.

The motion was forwarded to Yap last week.

A reliable source told The Freeman that Lao, whose real name is Hung Chin Chang, is preparing his passport, hoping he would be able to immediately leave the country as soon as the court grants said motion.

“If he (Lao) decides to leave after the court grants the motion, mahimo ra anytime siyang ipatawag para sa rebuttal kay human na man siya og testify sa court,” Yap said.

Senior state prosecutor Archimedes Manabat, head of the government prosecutors and the lawyers of the 13 accused, will have to first comment about the motion filed by Lao’s lawyer.

However, Manabat said they would formally rest their presentation of evidence and allow the defense to present its witnesses.

Yap also stressed that they will be asking the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies to secure Lao once he leaves the provincial jail.

“Kinahanglan gyud nga tight ang security kay dako nga sindikato ang iyang kontra,” Yap said.

Meantime, Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco, who is the vice chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, is still hopeful that another accused, Joseph Yu, will testify in favor of the government and divulge the list of local contacts.

 Lawyers Joseph Lopez and Allan Yap Garcia are also in line to help the government in prosecuting those behind the operations of the busted mega shabu lab in Umapad, Mandaue City.

Lao already testified before Yap that their financier is Calvin Tan, who they used to call “Boss Calvin.”   — Ramil V. Ayuman/MEEV