Amid criticisms and calls for Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to resign from his post following the arrest and detention of his son Juanito Jose for possession of P1.25 million worth of high-grade marijuana, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers raised a question.
His question appears to have been squelched despite its loud vibration, similarly forgotten like the efforts of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) agents who made the arrest, blown over by the prominence of the arrested subject.
Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said there is one major question that solicits immediate answers, which, paraphrased, stands up like: Is the US Customs and Border Protection allowing exportation of kush marijuana from the United States?
The younger Remulla, 38, was nabbed by PDEA last week in connection with parcels seized at the Ninoy Aquino Internation al Airport allegedly containing P1.25 million worth of high-grade marijuana from the American mainland.
Based on the case information, the younger Remulla was charged with “willfully, unlawfully and knowingly” having in his possession a brown paper parcel containing two tape-sealed transparent plastic bags, one containing 437.93 grams and the other 455.98 grams of marijuana.
He was arrested at a house inside BF Resort Village in Barangay Talon Dos during a “controlled delivery” operation by PDEA agents and Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.
It was Juanito, according to a PDEA report, who received the marked parcel with two brown paper pouches containing kush packed in bubble wrap.
Barbers has a point when he asked the US government “to institute measures that will strengthen its control over what comes out of its jurisdiction.”
Reports indicated the intercepted marijuana was shipped from a certain Benjamin Huffman of 1524 Hornblend Street in San Diego, California by “snail mail” or through the Central Mail Exchange Center of the Philippine Postal Corporation on Sept. 27.
We find it acclamatory that DOJ Secretary Remulla has advised against the filing before his office a petition for review on the illegal drugs case filed against his son, given that under the rules, resolutions of city and prosecutors may be appealed to the Office of the Secretary of Justice for review.
“Face it in court. Don’t let it reach me,” Remulla said in a Facebook interview.