DOJ indicts 4 Mexican drug cartel members

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted four suspected members of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, which has reportedly penetrated the local illegal drug trade.

Drug charges were filed against Mexicans Jorge Torres, Jaime Sanchez and Carlos Ochoa and Chinese Gary Tan before the Lipa City, Batangas regional trial court (RTC) last Monday.

Of the four, only Tan has been arrested. He was also charged before the court for illegal possession of firearms.

They are believed to be behind the 80 kilograms of shabu seized by authorities during a Christmas Day raid on the Lipa City ranch owned by the family of Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste.

After preliminary investigation, Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera and Irwin Maraya found probable cause to charge them with delivery, transportation and possession of illegal drugs.

“These facts clearly show that respondents Tan, Torres, Ochoa, Sanchez and a.k.a. ‘Fernando Jose’ conspired with each other in loading and unloading the drugs, and dispatching them in transit or transporting them from (hotel rooms in) Greenhills, San Juan City to LPL Ranch in Lipa City,” the DOJ said in its 31-page resolution released yesterday.

But while the DOJ approved the indictment of the alleged members of Sinaloa, it dismissed the same charges against Arjay and Rochelle Argenos, the helpers in the ranch who were arrested during the raid. Citing lack of evidence, the probers ordered their release from detention.

In its complaint, the police Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Force said their surveillance operations in October and November last year showed the link between the group and Horacio Hernandez, whom they classified as “mid-level Sinaloa drug cartel.”

Hernandez, who arrived in the country on Oct. 28, 2013, was allegedly tasked to conduct illegal drug deals in the country through a joint operation with a Chinese drug ring led by Tan, who was among those arrested in the raid. He was the one who supposedly “supplied cocaine and shabu to a Manila-based drug trafficker.”

The DOJ panel is set to summon the three Mexicans. An earlier subpoena was issued to Torres, an American citizen, but he reportedly flew to the US.

Leviste, his father Conrad and uncle Antonio, a former Batangas governor, were also summoned by the DOJ in connection with the ownership of the LPL Ranch.

Secretary Leila de Lima wanted to determine whether there was violation of Section 30 of Republic Act 9165, which penalizes the owner of a property or establishment “who consents to or knowingly tolerates or authorizes the use of a facility” in illegal drug production or trade.

The Levistes were invited during the preliminary investigation of this case. The fiscals said they only served as witnesses since they were not among the respondents in the police complaint.