Marine Lt. Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino failed on Monday to disclose the reason behind his presence in the illegal drug facility in Manila where 64 kilos of suspected shabu were seized last January.
Marcelino, a former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency official, was scheduled to give a tell-all testimony containing “sensitive information” in a clarificatory hearing at the Department of Justice.
Marcelino sought the attendance of Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas, Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, National Bureau of Investigation Director Virgilio Mendez, Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Arnold Quiapo during a closed-door hearing.
None of these officials, however, attended the proceedings despite earlier invitation from investigating Senior Deputy Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva.
The former PDEA official did not proceed with his testimony and instead requested to undergo a lie-detector test.
But the investigating prosecutor denied his appeal and ordered the detained officer to submit his rejoinder to the charges of conspiracy in manufacture and possession of illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 tomorrow (Wednesday) before the submission of the case for resolution.
Marcelino and his Chinese companion Yan Yi Shuo are facing charges of conspiracy in manufacture and possession of illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165.
He already denied the charges and insisted in his counter-affidavit that he was in the storage facility where P256 million worth of shabu was seized for a covert operation as a member of Armed Forces of the Philippines Intelligence Service.
In earlier hearing, he submitted a certification from Intelligence and Security Group of the Philippine Army showing Marcelino is sharing intelligence information on alleged involvement of Army personnel in illegal drug trade from September to December last year.
He has also submitted an official letter from the NBI confirming his contribution to the NBI’s anti-drug operations via his intelligence work.