The Philippine Navy (PN)asked the Department of Justice
(DOJ) to place Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, who was implicated in Php
320-million drug bust, under the navy's custody to ensure the marine officer's
safety.
Col. Edgard Arevalo, PN spokeperson, said the request was
done to ensure Marcelino's safety while under detention during the pendency of
the preliminary investigation.
"As a former Director of the Special Enforcement
Division where neutralized criminal syndicates and contributed to the
prosecution and conviction of prominent individuals, his life is in peril. To
ensure his safety, the Navy leadership finds it appropriate to detain him at a
Philippine Navy detention facility," he added.
"Since Lt. Col. Marcelino is in the active service, he
is subject to military law. Thus, we need to place him under confinement at our
detention facility while facing investigation before a body tasked to determine
his liability under the Articles of War," Arevalo stressed.
The PN spokesperson said that in making the request, the
navy relied on the provisions of Section 3c, Executive Order Number 106, series
of 1937, which mandates that Armed Forces of the Philippines
"We reiterate that the Philippine Navy does not
tolerate misdeeds among its personnel. If anyone of us is accused of committing
an offense, we will actively participate in ensuring that there will be an
unhampered conduct of investigation. As such, we undertake to present the
aforementioned Navy Officer at anytime when so ordered by the Department of
Justice, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila, or any court of
law," he added.
"That said, we are affording to him the constitutional
guarantee to be presumed innocent unless otherwise proven following due process
that he is likewise entitled to," Arevalo pointed out.
Marcelino and 33-year-old Chinese national Yan Yi Shou were
arrested by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents at Felix Huertas corner
Batangas Streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila last Jan. 21.
Around 64 kilograms of "shabu" worth Php320
million were seized.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=852001
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.