The Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) is expected to submit its investigation report Friday on the seizure of 521 kilograms of suspected shabu in Laos.
According to a report by RH Edniel Parrosa, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said he was confident the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) would build an airtight case with the help of the CIDG’s investigation.
The CIDG earlier issued 40 subpoenas to more than 30 individuals as investigators worked to establish the network behind the attempted drug shipment, Nartatez said.
Among those summoned were 11 persons of interest previously identified by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
Four of them failed to appear before police, including former Bangsamoro Parliament member Sultan Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, whom authorities have identified as the alleged financier.
Meanwhile, Rimbang broke his silence in a video message sent to news organizations, questioning why authorities had publicized his name and photograph despite what he said was the absence of any criminal case against him.
He also denied reports that he had left the country because of the controversy and maintained his innocence.
“Wala naman akong kaso, hindi naman ako wanted, hindi naman ako kriminal. Bakit ito ginagawa sa akin?” Rimbang said in Filipino.
He added that he was consulting his lawyers about appropriate legal action, accusing authorities of portraying him as a criminal and judging him despite his claims of innocence.
CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander A. Morico II said information gathered by investigators indicated that about 11.5 billion pesos was involved in the transactions related to the operation.
The amount included 7 million pesos allegedly spent to charter the private jet that carried the contraband from Malaysia, he said.
The CIDG also alleged that Rimbang’s group had long been involved in the local drug trade and was attempting to expand its operations nationwide.
Morico declined to confirm or identify other politicians who might be connected to the alleged drug network.
Rimbang, meanwhile, questioned the allegations against him, asking how he could have lost in the most recent Bangsamoro parliamentary elections if he were indeed financing the illegal drug trade.
