Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday, Oct. 17, named 11 persons of interest, among them a former Bangsamoro Transition Authority parliament member, in the botched shipment of 521 kilograms of shabu worth P3.5 billion from Laos to Manila on Oct. 1.
The crystal meth was seized at Luang Prabang International Airport in Laos as 23 pieces of luggage underwent customs clearance before loading onto a chartered Learjet 55B bound for Manila. The shipment was declared as vape products, according to the Inquirer, which first reported the Palace briefing.
Who are the persons of interest?
Remulla identified Sultan Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, a former member of parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as the alleged financier of the entire operation.
He said Rimbang supposedly paid Police Executive Master Sergeant Aileen Jayne Manalo Mendoza to secure the Maptra hangar at the General Aviation Area of the Manila Domestic Airport complex in Pasay City, where the aircraft carrying the drugs was supposed to land. Mendoza has been relieved and placed under restrictive custody by the Philippine National Police.
The other persons of interest named by Remulla include:
- Fahad Mulok Dibarosan, a Filipino passenger arrested in Laos who is expected to face charges there
- Rioklyn Pizarras Toledo, also known as Boyet, a former airline pilot fired over alleged involvement in drug deals, who reportedly booked the aircraft from Malaysia and arranged its flight to Laos
- Abdulkarim K. Macalatas, the consignee in Manila who was supposed to collect and distribute the shipment
- Christian Fabrigas, operations manager of ALS, a charter company
- Rohaniah E. Rimbang, wife of Sultan Edrieza Rimbang
- Hilario B. de Vera, also known as Larry
- Abdullah Rimbang Macarimbang
- Aldren Nadal Samante
- Rudy Isidro
What did the authorities say about the route?
Remulla said at least 13 individuals were linked to the shipment, which he said originated from the Golden Triangle, the mountainous region where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet and one of the world's largest hubs for illicit drug production and trafficking.
It leads us to several questions: Number one, why did they attempt to bring it through Manila International Airport General Aviation? he asked.
We're not accusing anyone of having done that before, but for them to attempt it, to try doing it in a private hangar, means it is becoming their modus operandi, Remulla said.
Duterte photo and the Davao question
In their presentation, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the PNP used a group photo of Rohaniah Rimbang with her husband and former President Rodrigo Duterte to identify her. Asked why Duterte appeared in the image, Remulla clarified that the photo was intended to counter the narrative that people in Manila were behind the operation.
This operation was between Sultan Edrieza Rimbang Nasser and his cohorts, he stressed.
He also dismissed claims that the operation was connected to a supposed group based in Davao, the Duterte family's home city, saying authorities were not labeling any ethnicity or city or people.
We are putting a name to the face of who we suspect are the persons of interest involved here, he said. This is based on facts. This is based on actual documents. This is based upon extensive police work. This is not guesswork. This is not an accusation. This is not moro-moro.
Mindanao politician also under probe
PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said a Mindanao politician was allegedly involved in the failed shipment and had been previously linked to drug cases, though he declined to give further details. The Inquirer reported on the PNP statement in a follow-up story on the case.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Isagani Nerez said his agency was looking into the possible involvement of international syndicates, including Sam Gor, an international criminal group involved in the illegal drug trade.
Call for a new anti-trafficking law
Remulla urged Congress to pass a law classifying narco-traffickers as a terrorist organization to speed up investigations and arrests in similar cases.
This would make it easier for law enforcement agencies around the world to cooperate with us, he said.
He also dismissed claims that the same aircraft had been used in similar operations in the Philippines before, saying that plane has never landed or taken off in the Philippines.
FAQs
How much shabu was seized in Laos?
Authorities seized 521 kilograms of shabu worth P3.5 billion on Oct. 1 at Luang Prabang International Airport in Laos, hidden in 23 pieces of luggage declared as vape products.
Who is the alleged financier of the Laos drug shipment?
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla identified Sultan Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, a former Bangsamoro Transition Authority parliament member, as the alleged financier of the operation.
Where did the Laos drug shipment originate?
Remulla said the shipment originated from the Golden Triangle, the border region of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos that is one of the world's largest hubs for illicit drug production and trafficking.