MANILA — The Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ordered the transfer of a former official of the National Bureau of Investigation, who is facing a drug complaint, from the Virac District Jail to the Makati City Jail.
The order came after the Supreme Court, in an en banc resolution dated June 19, granted the request of former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to transfer the cases against former acting regional director of NBI-Central Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-CEMRO) Augusto Eric Isidoro from the Virac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 43 to the Makati RTC.
In a document obtained from the Department of Justice, the commitment order was signed by acting Presiding Judge Selma Palacio-Alaras of the Makati RTC Branch 63.
Isidoro is the owner of the 1,000-sq. meter lot in Virac where authorities discovered and raided a “mega shabu laboratory” in 2016.
He is facing a case for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for conspiracy to manufacture dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals, and has been detained at the Virac District Jail since he surrendered early this year.
Aside from Isidoro, also named as respondents were Xian Xian Wang, Pido Bonito, Paolo Uy, Jayson Gonzales Uy, Lorenzo Flores Piñera II, Paolo Wee Palisoc, Phung Yuan Estorco, and Sheng Wang.
During the operation, police seized 22.509 kg. of “shabu” (crystal meth) and 359.75 kg. of ephedrine, as well as other equipment and chemicals used in the manufacture of shabu. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
