The Department of Justice has warned that imprisonment awaits those coddling fugitives like dismissed Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra made the warning as Acierto continues to elude arrest since the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 35 issued last April 12 warrants of arrest against the former police officer and seven of his co-accused.
Acierto and co-accused are facing charges of importation of illegal drugs in violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“In general, people who harbor or conceal accused-at-large are liable for obstruction of justice,” the Justice Secretary said.
“More specifically, coddlers or protectors of persons accused of violating Section 4 of the dangerous drugs law (importation of illegal drugs) are likewise criminally liable under Section 4 and stand to suffer imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to P500,000,” he stated.
The charges against Acierto were filed after the Department of Justice issued a resolution which approved indicting former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban and his co-defendants concerning the smuggling of billions of pesos worth of shabu using magnetic lifters last year.
Acierto has publicly claimed that President Duterte’s former foreign adviser, Michael Yang, is involved in the illegal drugs trade.
Prior to this and in spite of subpoenas issued to the defendants, Acierto failed to appear or send a lawyer or a representative to the preliminary investigation hearings conducted at the DoJ to squarely face the drug allegations against him.
His co-accused include former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Deputy Director for Administration Ismael Fajardo, Chan Yee Wah, Zhou Quan, also known as “Zhang Quan,” Emily Luquingan, and consignees Vedasto Cabral Baraquel Jr. and his wife Maria Lagrimas Catipan of Vecaba Trading.
Guban is in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. (Jeffrey Damicog)
