IMMIGRATION DEPUTY PROBED FOR RELEASE OF DRUG SUSPECT

ACTING Justice Secretary Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez on Thursday ordered
Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez to investigate reports that his
deputy allegedly ordered the release of a Chinese national suspected of
drug trafficking.

In a memo issued yesterday, Gutierrez told Fernandez to look into
allegations that Bureau of Immigration (BI) Associate Commissioner Teodoro
Delarmante secured the release of Li Yong Cheng.

She gave Fernandez 10 days to finish the investigation.

BI intelligence division chief Faizal Hussin and his agents Ansari
Macaayan, Maclin Lanto, and Adrian Mangondato earlier accused Delarmante of
ordering Li's release although the Chinese national was suspected of being
a drug trafficker.

The three immigration agents arrested Li on June 26 in his electrical shop
on V. Serrano St. in Caloocan City based on a Philippine National Police
report that said that the shop was being used as a front for illegal drug
activities.

However, Delarmante denied that there was anything illegal about Li's
release and even turned the tables on his accusers.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Delarmante said he ordered Li's
release because the intelligence agents' operation on June 26 was "highly
suspicious and irregular."

He said Li's arrest was illegal since it was based on a memorandum order
and not on a mission order from Fernandez. Fernandez added that Hussin and
his agents did not mention in their pre-operation report that Li was a
suspected drug trafficker.

But the three agents stood by their allegations and said they were saddened
since Delarmante even berated them in front of Li before the Chinese was
released.