Remulla orders DOJ takeover of Fil-Indian’s drug, gun cases

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered the transfer of firearms and drug cases filed against Filipino-Indian businessman Amith Chandiramani to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In a department order dated Sept. 11, Remulla ordered the transfer of Chandiramani’s case to his office for the conduct of “case build-up and/or preliminary investigation.”

The case against Chandiramani was originally filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) before the city prosecutor of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

In the same document, Remulla also appointed Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang to handle Chandiramani’s case.

“Humarang shall handle all cases between (or) among the same parties which are connected to, necessarily included, or as a consequence of these cases, including counter charges, which might arise in the future,” the order read.

Remulla also ordered the city prosecutor to transmit all of the records of the cases to Humarang.

On June 22, Chandiramani was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Special Action Force and Cavite Provincial Police Office for illegal possession of firearms and explosives following a raid on his house in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Police recovered several firearms and ammunition, including a Colt carbine 5.56mm rifle and fragmentation grenades, from the scene.

On Aug. 1, the Dasmariñas prosecutor dismissed the illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges, saying the police officers violated rules on search and seizure after they failed to present video clips from their body cameras.

The prosecutor, however, indicted Chandiramani for alleged illegal possession of a 9mm pistol.

The PNP has filed a motion for reconsideration.

Edmundo Magpantay, Chandiramani’s lawyer, clarified that the transfer of his client’s case to the DOJ is not a reinvestigation.

He said that the motion for reconsideration filed by the PNP is “still part of the preliminary investigation that must be resolved by the DOJ pursuant to aforesaid department order.”

Magpantay also urged the Dasmariñas prosecutor to “immediately comply” so as to not be held administratively liable for gross insubordination if they continue to handle the case.

While Remulla’s order stated that firearms and ammunition were confiscated during the raid, it did not provide details on the drug case against Chandiramani.

Brother vs brother

The DOJ is also handling the preliminary investigation on the complaint of falsification of public documents filed by Chandiramani against his billionaire brother Rajiv, their mother Pushpa and five others.

Following their father’s death in 2011, Chandiramani claimed that through “deceit and machination,” Rajiv and his accomplices were successful in depriving him of his inheritance amounting to billions of pesos in the form of real estate properties and business interests.

Rajiv, in his counter-affidavit, strongly denied committing any falsification in order to take control of their late father’s properties.