DOJ to seek temporary HDO vs drug importers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is planning to seek a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against the suspected drug importers who brought in P1.8 billion worth of shabu.

DOJ Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said they might ask the court to issue a PHDO against the 16 respondents led by Xu Zhijian alias Jacky Co, a suspected Chinese drug lord.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) filed the criminal complaint on Friday stemming from the illegal drug shipment seized at a warehouse in Malabon City.

Fadullon stressed securing an PHDO is necessary since one of the respondents, Xu, has already left the country. 

“The fact that one of them is reportedly out of the country strengthens the possibility these people will abscond, so justifiable our request for a PHDO,” Fadullon said.

A PHDO is issued by a court against persons who are undergoing preliminary investigation over complaints pending with the prosecutor. It is different from a hold departure order (HDO) which is issued only once charges have been filed in court.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in a privilege speech last Wednesday, revealed the details of the seizure of the drugs.

He said Xu was behind the importation of 276,344.82 grams of shabu concealed inside tea products that were divided and placed inside 12 sacks. 

The tea products were reportedly misdeclared to be plastic resin and imported from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with Wealth Lotus Empire Corp. as the alleged importer.

The contraband arrived in the country last March 17 at the Manila International Container Port and the shipment was discovered and confiscated by the authorities on March 22. 

Lacson had berated the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for allowing Xu to leave the country despite his name allegedly being in the Interpol’s watchlist. 

DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday that there was no HDO against Xu, thus he was allowed to leave the country.

Guevarra added Xu was not in the Interpol watchlist.

PDEA, for its part, defended their filing of a complaint, saying they were already prepared when Lacson made his revelations in a privilege speech.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the filing of charges was agreed upon during a case conference on May 28, a day before Lacson delivered his speech.

Lacson has warned the PDEA and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) not to cover up the shabu shipment.

The senator claimed there was “controlled delivery” of the PDEA when it auctioned off the container containing the drugs. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Romina Cabrera