Charges vs Japanese get elevated to court

CEBU, Philippines – The Japanese national who reportedly yielded a sachet of suspected shabu and a drug sniffing tool at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport is now facing charges before the Regional Trial Court in Lapu-Lapu City.

Shinji Mori, 38, was held for trial by Prosecutor Aida Castillo of the Lapu-Lapu City Hall of Justice for violation of Sections 11 and 12 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Airport security officers apprehended Mori Monday morning after a tooter, commonly used to sniff drugs, was allegedly found inside his pocket and the sachet of suspected shabu weighing 0.06 grams in his wallet.

Aviation Security Unit-7 intelligence and investigation chief Inspector Marvin Bolic said they filed criminal complaints against Mori before the Office of the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor for possession of drug and drug paraphernalia on the same day he was arrested.

Bolic said Mori chose not to submit a counter-affidavit during the inquest proceedings administered by Castillo.

Upon Castillo's recommendation, Bolic said they filed Mori's cases before the court yesterday afternoon.

Castillo recommended a total bail of P240,000 for the temporary liberty of Mori while his two cases will be heard.

Bolic said they have already coordinated with the Japanese embassy and Mori's lawyer.

He also said they are waiting for the commitment order from the court directing them to transfer Mori to the city jail should he not post bail.

Mori is temporarily detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.

At the time he was apprehended, Mori was about to catch the 9 a.m. flight to Osaka, Japan via Philippine Airlines when a security officer noticed what appeared to be a tooter peeking out of his side pocket.

When the security officer, Mary Grace Navarro, asked Mori if he had undergone the first security screening, the Japanese reportedly did not respond. Mori then reportedly went uneasy and appeared anxious when he was blocked from proceeding to the second security screening leading to the departure area for international travelers.

Navarro then instructed a member of her screening staff to check Mori's bag and his wallet and there they found a small sachet of shabu.

Mori, who has been in Cebu for vacation since October 29, eventually admitted to using drugs in a television report.

Last May 29, Taiwanese national Huan-He Chao, 27,  was put on hold by AVSEU-7 and MCIA's engineering department for attempting to smuggle firearms at the airport through a pink miniature seaplane placed in his luggage.

The dismantled firearms of  a .9 mm pistol, a black widow revolver, and an Ingram sub-machine gun were reportedly found in the toy model's base stand while three magazines or storage bullets were found in the plane's body.

Chao reportedly created the miniature plane to prevent airport security screening officers from the discovering the gun parts. (FREEMAN)