Probers checking Marcelino bank records

MANILA, Philippines – The police anti-drug unit is now coordinating with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to check on the bank records of Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, the former anti-narcotics official arrested inside an illegal drug laboratory in Manila last week.

This developed as a bag seized from Marcelino during his arrest reportedly yielded about 13 pieces of bank deposit slips with amounts totaling P2.25 million. Authorities however did not reveal the name of the depository bank.

Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force chief Senior Supt. Antonio Gardiola said the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) is coordinating with the AMLC to look into the case of Marcelino regarding the bank receipts.

AIDG spokesman Chief Inspector Roque Merdegia added they have requested for a complete financial investigation on Marcelino to determine if there are money-laundering activities.

Merdegia said deposit slips under the name of Marcelino showed transactions made on May 26 with P500,000 followed by another deposit with P200,000 on June, 25, and a third deposit with P300,000 on July 31, all in 2014. Another deposit slip indicated P30,000 done on March 4, 2015.

“We also found P86, 000 cash from his bag, along with a handgun,” Merdegia said.

Merdegia added the arresting lawmen also seized from Marcelino $210, P2,510, 15 Australian dollars, 20 Hong Kong dollars and a SIM card for satellite phone.

Merdegia said another case would be filed against Marcelino for carrying a .45 automatic with expired license.

Merdegia said the AIDG has turned over to Marcelino’s lawyer all the seized items during the arrest. The Department of Justice approved Marcelino’s request to retrieve his belongings.

Merdegia said Marcelino’s cellular phone, which remained in their possession, would be subjected to forensic digital exam to get additional details. He said they have seen some of the messages, which could help bolster their case.

Marcelino maintained he was on a mission order when operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested him.

He blamed PDEA chief Arturo Cacdac for his arrest.

“Shortly after Marcelino was arrested, he claimed his presence there was part of a case operation plan. All along he was saying about coplan but we were surprised to learn that his affidavit now is blaming the PDEA director general. For us, he is not telling the truth. What he has been saying are purely alibi, denial which will not stand in court,” Merdegia said.

Marcelino’s counsel Dennis Manalo said it was simply a “misencounter” between his client and the arresting lawmen.

“True enough because of this misencounter there was a misappreciation of facts because of this unfortunate incident, our drug enforcement agencies clashed against each other,” he said.

Manalo said drug syndicates stand to benefit from the arrest of Marcelino with the anti-drug enforcement units fighting each other.

In his eight-page counter affidavit filed before the DOJ, Marcelino said the arresting lawmen should know the confidential nature of working undercover.

“To demand such from me is to ask for the impossible. The proper action would be to first verify with the inter-agencies involved in the anti-drug campaign of my status before accusing me of any irregularity,” Marcelino said. –Evelyn Macairan