Bautista denied a recommendation made by Prosecutor Luis Cenon Maceren to free seven of the suspects without charges.
Charged under Republic Act 6425 for possession of 8.6 grams of Ecstasy pills were the seven suspects identified as Stewart Mcdonald, Aljun Castro, American national Jayson Johnson Jeffrey, Oliver Villar, Mel Santos, Jovy Crispales, and Anton Garcia.
Bautista said the seven suspects were lawfully arrested without warrant. The case was shrouded in controversy after police authorities revealed that a high-ranking official tried to intercede for the release of the suspects, except Ducat, whose arrest was made on a warrant issued by Executive Judge Monina Zenarosa of the city’s Regional Trial Court Branch 76.
Maceren himself denied having been pressured to recommend the release of the suspects. Six other suspects – Marvin Ducat, his brother Joseph Verne, British national Philip Glass Murphy, Madilyne Sandra de Vera, Jacqueline Ulnangan and Analisa Juan – face charges for possession of 1.04 grams of the "designer" drug.
Meanwhile, Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Commissioner Chino Trinidad yesterday clarified that no American by the name of Jayson Johnson Jeffrey ever played in the PBL.
Bautista approved P60,000 bail each for the drug possession charge for the temporary liberty of the 13 suspects. Ducat also faces charges for illegal possession of firearms and conspiracy in the possession or use of illegal drugs.
Ducat also allegedly yielded .16 grams of shabu. Authorities said police seized during the raid an unlicensed caliber .45 pistol belonging to Ducat, 39 Ecstasy pills and about P77,000 in cash. They said the raid broke up a major syndicate supplying designer drugs to rich clients. – Romel Bagares