QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has asked the Chinese government to cooperate in its investigation into the shabu shipment from China that passed the Bureau of Customs (BoC) without any inspection.
“China must be willing to cooperate with the Philippines in investigating the PHP6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment from China that slipped through the Bureau of Customs (BOC),” Senator Richard Gordon, the committee chairman said in an interview after the fifth Senate probe into the illegal shipment on Tuesday, August 29.
Gordon alleged that the shabu problem started with China, after warehouse owner Richard Tan, also known as Richard Chen, revealed in a previous Senate hearing that he got a call from Xiamen Customs Police informing him about the shipment last May 25.
Tan is the Chinese owner of the warehouse where the shabu shipment was seized.
“This shabu problem begins with China and will end with China. That is what we must pursue because we have the evidence now,” Gordon said.
“This is a hostile act — sending drugs here. Sixty percent of the drugs coming here in the Philippines are coming from people of Chinese ancestry,” he added.
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Gordon said his committee was already asking the Chinese authorities through the office of Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III for information on their own investigation into Hong Fei Logistics and Richard Chen.
“We are going to request the Senate President to write a letter to make sure that the government of China takes note [of] the problems the Philippines is having with their nationals importing drugs in our country,” he said.
Gordon said that he would like to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
The treaty between China and the Philippines mandates cooperation between the neighbors in the prosecution of criminal offenses and proceedings on criminal matters.
“The Blue Ribbon committee would like to avail itself of this treaty to be able to obtain relevant information and documents from Chinese authorities who investigated this shipment of illegal drugs to the Philippines referred to by Mr. Chen; and the reported apprehension by Chinese authorities of certain persons involved in the said shipment. We are looking at many issues, and seek answers to questions,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)
