DOJ wants Aurora shabu case heard in Manila

BALER, Aurora — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is pressing for the transfer of the trial of the four Chinese nationals arrested in last month’s raid on a shabu laboratory in Dingalan town from the regional trial court (RTC) in this capital town to Manila.

Chief state prosecutor Jovencito Zuño told The STAR that he would discuss with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the trial be transferred from the sala of RTC Branch 66 Judge Armando Yanga here to the Manila RTC.

"We will be meeting with (NBI director Nestor) Mantaring to discuss the possibility of transferring the venue," he said.

Zuño was here last weekend to preside over the turnover of the new Hall of Justice in Barangay Suklayin.

With him in the event were Aurora Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, House Deputy Minority Leader Juan Edgardo Angara, Yanga and fellow RTC Judge Corazon Soluren, provincial prosecutor Jesse Pimentel, and other local officials.

Citing security issues, Angara has opposed Yanga’s order to the NBI to transfer the four Chinese nationals — Sy Tho, Whang Ta Thi, Chin Na Chua, and Chen Chien — from the NBI detention center in Manila to the Aurora provincial jail.

Prosecutors have filed two separate information sheets against the four Chinese, along with a John Doe, for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The shabu lab, raided at a Dingalan resort last Aug. 30, yielded 5.44 kilograms of shabu.

The court has set an ocular inspection of the shabu lab on Sept. 29.

Zuño said they are confident of getting a conviction for the four Chinese. "The case is good and I will assign a special prosecutor to handle it," he said.

He said they are optimistic that the prosecution panel would come up with a star witness soon to beef up the case.

Asked why the prosecution did not file a separate charge for bribery against one of the accused, Zuño said he was not aware that such an attempt was made.

It was earlier reported that one of the four Chinese offered the raiding team P10 million in exchange for his release.

Zuño said it is up to the NBI to file the bribery case.