4 Chinese in shabu lab raid rearrested

Some 36 hours after they were released after posting P700,000 bail each, the four Chinese chemists behind the operations of a raided shabu laboratory in Pasig City were rearrested yesterday for violation of immigration laws.

The suspects, Chua Chiy Li, 37; Huang Hong Wei, 34; Xingfu Wang, 31, and Joey Lu Cruz, 34, were cornered by combined elements of the Bureau of Immigration and the Narcotics Group (NarcGroup) in the Rizal Provincial Capitol compound at about 1:30 p.m.

Director Efren Fernandez, NarcGroup chief said the four suspects were attending the hearing of drug trafficking charges against them in the sala of Judge Rodrigo Lorenzo, of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 when cornered.

The chemists’ lawyer, former Assemblyman Vicente Millora tried to block the arrest of his clients arguing that they had already posted bail. The immigration agents, however, pushed through with the arrest after Millora’s clients failed to show documents supporting their continued stay in the country. Government authorities also arrested Millora for obstruction of justice.

The four Chinese chemists and Millora were immediately whisked to the BI headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

Fernandez said the four Chinese chemists will permanently stay in jail since their being undocumented is a non-bailable offense. They, too, cannot be deported to China because they are still facing criminal charges, he said.

"I am very appreciative of the effort of the BI for taking action on the matter, preventing the accused from escaping beyond reach of the law," said Fernandez in an interview.

The four Chinese nationals, along with their head chemist Wah Yah, were arrested during a raid at a makeshift shabu laboratory in Capitol 8 Subdivision, Pasig City last Nov. 6. They yielded six kilos of shabu and several drums of chemicals used for the manufacture of shabu. They were charged with drug trafficking which is a non-bailable offense. However, Lorenzo granted them bail on grounds that police chemist Inspector Vivian Gumabay failed to appear in his sala to testify against them. Gumabay contended that she did not receive any summons from Lorenzo. The NarcGroup also asked Justice Secretary Hernani Perez to investigate reports that P12 million changed hands in exchange for the speedy release of the four suspects, who belong to a Fujian drug syndicate in China.