FORMER Dagupan City Chief of Police Dionicio Borromeo was indicted along with several civilians, some of whom are Chinese citizens, for the operation of a big shabu laboratory in La Union that was busted by lawmen on July 9 last year.

This was after a resolution of a three-man panel from the Department of Justice was reversed by a prosecutor designated by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to re-investigate the case.

Prosecutor Danilo Bumacod undertook the reinvestigation after the Catholic clergy of La Union headed by Bishop Artemio Rillera asked President GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo to review the initial decision.

In his re-investigation, Bumacod found probable cause to indict Borromeo, one Joselito Artuz, Dante Palaganas and Andy Tangalin, and several unnamed Chinese citizens who were allegedly employed in the manufacturing and processing substances into shabu.

In the amended resolution, Bumacod stated, “There is probable cause to warrant Borromeo’s indictment of an offense with overwhelming magnitude of nefarious effect. Surely, there are still people greatly involved in the operation of the laboratory where manufacture of drug was undertaken.”

The resolution, however, did not name the others suspected to have been involved in the protection of the laboratory’s operation.

But at the same Bumacod affirmed the dismissal of the charges against the three junior policemen but were found liable for administrative lapses.

In the amended information dated February 4, Bumacod also filed a motion for the issuance of arrest warrants for Borromeo and Artuz before the Regional Trial Court Branch 33.

Palaganas and Tangalin are already in police custody since the raid.

Borromeo is currently stationed at Camp Crame where he was re-assigned pending the investigation while Artuz is at large.

The documents submitted by Bumacod indicate that Borromeo and Artuz had been in constant communication with Palaganas who has been tagged as the shabu laboratory’s caretaker.

The communication started from the time the two began the search for a site for the laboratory until July 9 last year when the facility was raided by joint operatives of the La Union Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regional office, municipal health office of Naguilian and other operating units.

In the amended information, both Palaganas and Tangalin were tagged as caretakers, Artuz as financier and Borromeo as protector.

All those indicted are accused of willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously manufacturing, producing, processing shabu, directly by means of chemical synthesis.

A report said the group used a piggery business as front for the illegal activity. —LM

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