Lawyer Persida Acosta, legal counsel of Marine Lieutenant Coroner Ferdinand Marcelino, urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help their comrade in proving to the court that Marcelino was doing covert drug operations in the past.
After the hearing of the drug case against Marcelino and his Chinese companion Yan Yi Shou on Tuesday at the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 49, Acosta said they want help from the AFP.
“If the AFP wants to help their comrade, they can do so because this case involves national security and national interest while on the war on drugs of the government is at stake,” Acosta said.
Marcelino’s camp was asked to submit a certification that the Marine officer was indeed helping in the anti-illegal drugs operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) prior to his arrest in a drug facility in Manila last year.
Acosta, however, said they will reveal soon the evidences that will defy the court’s decision against Marcelino.
Acosta said they already have “evidences that will strengthen and solidify” the claims of Marcelino that he was involved in the legitimate anti-narcotics operations of the AFP.
“We already have several submitted documents but the judge wants some other documents, so we will try our best,” Acosta said.
Furthermore, the Public Attorney’s Office chief said that this time, the certification on the role of Marcelino in the anti-drug operations “will be more specific”, saying that the “manner of how Marcelino conducted the covert operations” will be included on the said documents. (Betheena Kae Unite)
