Drug charge filed vs. Remulla son before Las Piñas RTC

The son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has been charged with drug possession before the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court.

The case was filed on Friday against Juanito Jose Remulla III for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Juanito, Remulla's eldest son, was nabbed in connection with a shipment of suspected kush intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

On October 11, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group conducted an operation, a controlled delivery, at BF Resort Village in Talon Dos, Las Piñas City.

Authorities said seized from the operation were dried leaves of suspected kush "with a current street value of P1,311,800."

The prosecutor recommended no bail.

"We filed for violation of Section 11 of RA 9165 that is possession of illegal drugs kasi 'yon 'yong, based on the evidence na in-evaluate, yoon 'yong pinaka-appropriate na case na puwedeng i-file,” Prosecution Attorney Jennah Marie Dela Cruz said in a phone interview.

"That's [a] non-bailable [offense] considering the amount of drugs," she added. 

PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon earlier said that they filed a complaint for importation of dangerous drugs and for failure to exhibit or deposit documents under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Dela Cruz said these charges would be referred to the Pasay Prosecutor’s Office for preliminary investigation "since the importation happened in their jurisdiction."

The prosecutor denied that the case had been influenced by the DOJ secretary.

"I can assure you, wala pong kahit anong participation or intervention 'yong any department, especially the Secretary of Justice kasi rin kahapon, we are blocking people to come inside our office," Dela Cruz said.

"So 'yan pong resolution ng opisina namin ay joint effort po talaga ng aming chief ng aking reviewing officer, and myself as being prosecutor,” she added.

“Intact naman po 'yong integrity niyan and 'yong sinabi po ni Secretary of Justice na hindi po siya makikialam whatsoever, naging totoo naman po 'yon. So 'yon po 'yong assurance na maibibigay ng aming opisina. Naging independent po ang DOJ, particularly po ang Office of the City Prosecutor,” Dela Cruz said.

In a statement on Thursday, Justice Secretary Remulla said he would "not intervene in his son's predicament.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., meanwhile, said calls for Remulla's resignation had no basis. —NB/VBL, GMA News