MARY ONG's allegations that members of the Philippine Navy SWAG Unit which was formerly attached to the Presidential Anti-Organized Task Force (PAOCTF) was utilized by SEN. LACSON in the recovery of the multi-kilogram shabu shipment that sank off the Mindoro waters is an outright lie.
PNP
PRO 4 has in its possession numerous pieces of documentary evidence proving
that the drug shipment was recovered in small parts from a series of arrested
fishermen attempting to sell the shabu packages. Still, some drug packages were
voluntarily surrendered to police offices by other fishermen after recovering
them afloat in the sea.
The police recovery operations on the drug shipment covered a span of four (4) months, specifically from December 1998 until March 1999, with a total recovered volume of One Hundred Twenty One (121) kilograms of Shabu.
Hence, at this point we may also like to make a clarification on this matter. The Philippine Navy SWAG Unit was never involved in any salvaging operations to recover the failed drug shipment in Mindoro.
MARY
ONG also alleged that Chi Chan Lui and Hui Lao Chung, the arrested Chinese suspects
involved in the Mindoro drug shipment, were escorted by P/SUPT VILLAROMAN and
allowed to slip out of the country. But PRO 4 says otherwise. The two (2) Chinese
nationals were arrested, detained and a case was properly filed against them
at the Mindoro Occidental Regional Trial Court, Branch 44.
MARY ONG's insinuations on P/SUPT VILLAROMAN's reputation being a drug coddler or drug protector is purely malicious and absolutely baseless.
MARY ONG alleged that OPLAN ATHENA confiscated more Shabu than what was officially declared on its report in the neutralization of Chinese drug lord WANG LY ZHANG @ DAVID ONG on 07 May 1998. She further states that the said undeclared and undetermined amount of shabu was recycled by OPLAN ATHENA members through a network of rogue police officers closely connected with detained Chinese drug lords, who in turn market the alleged recycled drugs. MARY ONG also alleged that the NARGROUP jail syndicate sold more than a hundred kilograms in three (3) weeks, sometime in February and March 1998, and another Eight Hundred kilograms sometime in October and November 1998.
MARY ONG's statements on this matter are outright lies.
An easy check with PNP NARGROUP records show that for the entire tenure of P/DIR ACOP as Director of PNP NARGROUP until September 1998, there was only one (I) ethnic Chinese detained at NARGROUP Detention Center in Camp Crame. The person is identified as PATRICK GO ARCELLA who was arrested for trafficking Five Hundred (500) grams of Shabu.
Therefore, it would be absurd to believe that this low-level ethnic Chinese drug pusher to have immediately expanded his drug network to accommodate the effective sale of hundreds of kilograms of shabu weekly. It is even more unbelievable that he should accomplish this while in detention.
The NARGROUP had numerous other arrests involving ethnic Chinese persons, however, they were all shortly turned-over and committed to other detention facilities in Metro Manila upon the court's orders. It is also necessary for NARGROUP to transfer them to other detention facilities in the soonest possible time since the NARGROUP Detention Center can only accommodate a few detainees.
In view of the above facts, it is therefore impossible for a drug syndicate composed of detained Chinese drug lords to have operated from NARGROUP Detention Center, Camp Crame since there was none of them who were all present at any one time. Consequently, MARY ONG's allegation that CAMP CRAME IS THE CENTER OF THE TRIAD'S DRUG OPERATIONS IN THE COUNTRY IS COMPLETELY FALSE AND UNFOUNDED.
MARY ONG alleged that the Philippine drug problem is a Ninety Six Billion Peso (P96 Billion) industry, mainly resulting from the PNPs connivance with the Chinese Triad in the proliferation of illegal drugs. She also alleged that at least Two Thousand (2000) kilograms of Shabu are smuggled into the country on a weekly basis and sold by the PNP.
There are currently 1.8 Million drug dependents in the Philippines.
The only way to prove that the Philippines has indeed a P96 Billion drug industry is when we reconcile MARY ONG's allegations into the Dangerous Drugs Board's statistical data. After dividing at least 2000 kilograms per week (sale from a single pipeline) among 1.8 Million drug dependents nationwide, the figure of P96 Billion can only hold true if each drug dependent in the country consumes 0.158 grams daily, or at least spends Four Hundred Pesos (P 400) for Shabu daily.
The threshold of Shabu consumption for any drug dependent in a day is One (1) gram. Beyond this consumption level, the effects of Shabu are seriously fatal for the user, and almost always results in death. However, the same deadly results occur when the drug dependent consumes shabu on a daily basis, and for a prolonged period - even if it is below the threshold level of One (1) gram.
One of Shabu's effect is a complete loss of appetite and inability to sleep. To uphold the truthfulness of the P 96 Billion drug problems means that drug dependents would have to be on a "high" for 365 days. Thus, at this rate, the entire drug dependent population of the country will be completely annihilated in only a matter of a few months. This is hardly near reality today.
We cannot deny the fact that there are still 1.8 Million drug dependents in our midst as reported by the DDB. And there hasn't been any report of massive deaths resulting from Shabu overdose or saturation.
Therefore, MARY ONG's claim that the Philippines has a P96 Billion drug problem is completely FALSE and BASELESS.
The real motive for MARY ONG's, and ISAFP's disclosure of a bloated scenario of the current drug problem is a political one. The drug figures relate directly to ISAFP's allegations on the multi-million dollar accounts of SEN. LACSON. MARY ONG's false testimony is a desperate attempt to later substantiate their fabricated accusations that SEN. LACSON amassed large amounts of bank deposits through drug trafficking activities. In other words, this is merely a set-up.
Unfortunately for ISAFP and MARY ONG, numbers don't lie.
The basis for MARY ONG's allegation that SEN. LACSON and the PAOCTF, along with former NARGROUP Director REYNALDO ACOP, and other NARGROUP officers were involved in drug trafficking activities, specifically - recycling of seized drugs, pertains to the May 7,1998 incident where a Chinese drug lord WANG LY ZHANG @ DAVID ONG was killed in a shootout with police authorities. MARY ONG further stated this information in her complaint and Sworn Affidavit submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
This is now the central issue of MARY ONG's alleged personal knowledge regarding the involvement of SEN. LACSON and PAOCTF's in drug trafficking activities.
OPLAN ATHENA was a project developed by PNP NARGROUP in January 1998, and it was officially implemented on 15 February 1998. Likewise, the shoot-out incident with Chinese drug lord WANG transpired on 07 May 1998.
The PAOCTF was NON-EXISTENT on May 1998, and least of all on January or February 1998 when OPLAN ATHENA was launched.
We also take note that SEN. LACSON was still on floating status on May 1998. In fact, the PAOCTF would not be formed until two (2) months later, on 22 July 1998.
Therefore, it is impossible for MARY ONG to have any personal knowledge on things that did not exist, such as the PAOCTF on May 1998. Consequently, MARY ONG can only be lying when she stated in her Sworn Affidavit submitted to the Ombudsman Office that she had personal knowledge of events that never occurred.
If MARY ONG can lie in court, MARY ONG can very well lie under oath.
Before we discuss in detail MARY ONG's allegations of Drug Trafficking, Kidnap-for-Ransom, Murder, and Wiretapping against SEN. LACSON et. al., we must first note of some important facts. These factual circumstances would later enlighten us on determining the veracity of MARY ONG's accusations, and its real motives.
MARY ONG FILED THE SAME CASES, WHILE SUBMITTING TWO (2) DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF HER SWORN AFFIDAVIT, ONE AT THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN ON 08 JANUARY 2001, AND THE OTHER AT THE DOJ ON 04 MAY 2001.
This forum shopping on her part prompted JUDGE HERMOGENES LIWAG of the Manila Regional Trial Court, Branch 55 to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on June 4, 2001 against the DOJ's conduct of preliminary investigation on the case filed by NBI. JUDGE LIWAG ruled that SEN. LACSON et. al. were vulnerable to suffer serious damage and irreparable injury unless the duplicitous proceeding being impugned is restrained
The Ombudsman Chief ANIANO DESIERTO declared in a recent media interview regarding MARY ONG's "unusual" complaint, mainly because not a single evidence was submitted in court in support of her allegations. Ombudsman DESIERTO further declared that the case would not prosper based solely on MARY ONG's testimony.
THERE EXIST TWO SETS OF COMPLAINTS FILED BY THE ALLEGED VICTIMS' RELATIVES, ONE AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY ON 27 JANUARY 2000 WHERE THEY IDENTIFIED MARY ONG AS THE PRIME SUSPECT, AND ANOTHER COMPLAINT ON 03 MAY 2001 (shortly before Senate Elections) WHERE THE NBI IMPLICATES SEN. LACSON AS THE PRIME SUSPECT.
There seems to be a degree of connivance between the NBI, MARY ONG and the alleged victims' relatives judging from the suspicious nature of their complaints. Each of the conspirators stands to gain significantly in this endeavor. For the NBI, it is strictly a political matter. MARY ONG on one hand gains the protection she needs against Chinese Triad threats and possible reprieve from her enormous debt. Lastly, the victims' relatives are in a position to acquire monetary gains. The missing persons' conjugal and/or joint assets are held from their heirs unless there is a definitive proof of their deaths.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE TRUTH REGARDING THESE VERY SERIOUS ISSUES MAY BE JEOPARDIZED BY THE CONSPIRATORS' PURSUIT OF THEIR OWN INTERESTS.
All the alleged relatives' sworn statements point to MARY ONG as the principal suspect. It is alleged that MARY ONG communicated with the relatives, MARY ONG demanded ransom, MARY ONG threatened the relatives on the victims' lives, MARY ONG gave her bank account for ransom deposit, MARY ONG received the ransom money, and one alleged kidnap victim identified MARY ONG as his kidnapper.
MARY ONG dominantly figured in sworn statements made by the alleged relatives before the Department of Justice (DOJ). QUEENA YUET YUET LAU pointed to MARY ONG as the same person who negotiated with her for a ransom amount of P 10 Million (NBI Sworn Statement, Queena Lau, Q/A No.15), the amount was later reduced to P 3.5 Million (NBI SS, Queena Lau, Q/A No. 17 & 20). She also stated that the ransom money was deposited in a bank account which she later knew was owned by MARY ONG (NBI SS, Queena Lau, Q/A No. 10).
QUEENA YUET YUET LAU further said in her sworn statement that MARY ONG collected another P 100,000.00 from her in exchange of talking to her husband and to make certain that he was still alive (NBI SS, Queena Lau, Q/A No.18).
CHONG KAM FAI claimed that it was also MARY ONG who met with him to inform about his brother's kidnapping (NBI 55, Chong Kam Fai, Q/A No. 16). According to CHONG's sworn statement, MARY ONG asked him to raise the ransom amount of P 3.0 Million (NBI SS, Chong Kam Fai, Q/A 17). She also left her contact numbers and bank account number wherein the said ransom money would be deposited. (NBI SS, Chong Kam Fai, Q/A 18).
On February 6, 1999, CHONG KAM FAI called MARY ONG to say that he was unable to raise the ransom amount. MARY ONG later reduced the price to P 1.0 Million (NBI SS, Chong Kam Fai, Q/A 19). His contact with MARY ONG was cut after she received the ransom money, however, the victim was never released.
One is aghast at the intellectual insults found when comparing the details of the same case at the two (2) courts, the Ombudsman and DOJ versions. Based on early complaints, a relative identified the victims as Mr. and Mrs. TSANG KAI HIN, while MARY ONG claims a different couple named Mr. ZENG JIA XUAN and Ms. HONG ZHENG QIAO. Further, a sworn statement claimed the victims were released while MARY ONG swore they were killed.
MARY ONG claims in her Ombudsman affidavit that the victim's brother named CHONG JIN HUI filed a complaint regarding the kidnapping incident. However, a certain CHONG KAM FAI, who claimed to be the same brother executed the DOJ sworn statement.
MARY ONG claims that police officers killed one of the victims named WONG KAM CHONG last May 1999, but WONG's wife QUEENA LAU claims she still talked with her husband at a much later date and even negotiated with the kidnappers for WONG's release as late as January 2000. QUEENA LAU strongly implicates MARY ONG as responsible for WONG's disappearance.
There is also strong evidence of a wild "witch-hunt" expedition since the different versions (Ombudsman and DOJ) of the case have also two (2) sets of suspects, who are all allegedly PAOCTF members.
The truth of the matter is that neither of the persons accused had ever been PAOCTF members except for Senator LACSON and COL. MICHAEL RAY AQUINO. Some of the persons accused are not even police members, but close friends of P/SUPT JOHN CAMPOS.
It is not difficult to point out that there is a gross difference on the identity of persons accused, a gross difference on the identity of the victims, a gross difference on the identity of the relatives, and a gross difference on the turn of events. All these gross differences are compounding factors in establishing the incredibility of the narratives.
The NBI already presented a set of Chinese witnesses when it filed its second version of MARY ONG's case at the DOJ. However, the NBI antic only caused a back-fire, after a closer inspection of their affidavits revealed that MARY ONG was being more implicated by the witnesses as the mastermind of the kidnap-for-ransom and murder of their relatives.
Moreover, the NBI failed to produce one Chinese witness, a certain ZENG KANG FANG, who allegedly claims to be kidnapped by PAOCTF.
There are also widespread suspicions on NBI's motives in presenting the affidavit of an imaginary affiant. These doubts and suspicions are further compounded when we consider why MARY ONG never mentioned nor presented the same in her first version of the case filed at the Ombudsman Office.
The existence of several versions of MARY ONG's affidavit filed in various courts prompted JUDGE HERMOGENES LIWAG of the Manila Regional Trial Court, Branch 55 to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on June 4, 2001 against the DOJ's conduct of preliminary investigation on the case filed by NBI. JUDGE LIWAG ruled that SEN. LACSON et. al. were "vulnerable to suffer serious damage and irreparable injury unless the duplicitous proceeding being impugned is restrained."
Thus, in view of DIR. WYCOCO's manic pursuit to revive anew the kidnapping and murder charges against SEN. LACSON, the public should soon expect that the recent China expedition enabled MARY ONG and the NBI to recruit Chinese nationals to pose as either kidnap victims or witnesses.
There are countless pieces of documentary evidence (Estafa, Credit & Financial Fraud cases) and personal testimonies to ascertain MARY ONG's capability to grossly deceive, grossly fabricate, and grossly lie for the sake of profit. Likewise, the same evidence show MARY ONG to be deeply involved in a life of crime ranging from credit fraud, illegal gambling, smuggling, drug trafficking, murder, and very recently - kidnap-for-ransom. MARY ONG has also been involved in these crimes for a very long time now.
After we consider the kind of life and associations that MARY ONG keeps, it could be highly possible that the crimes narrated by MARY ONG are her own deeds, which she simply projected unto SEN. LACSON. This also explains why she can tell the turn-of-events of her own tale with utmost confidence, and yet stumble into INCONSISTENCIES when narrating SEN. LACSON's and other police officers' involvement.
Upholding the rule of corpus delicti, it is impossible for MARY ONG to accuse SEN. LACSON et. al. of murder in the absence of victims' bodies. Similarly, it is also impossible for MARY ONG to accuse SEN. LACSON et al of kidnap-for-ransom based on the alleged relatives' Sworn Statements given to the NBI. The Sworn Statements in fact, reveal MARY ONG as the principal and prime suspect.
One of MARY ONG's motives in engaging the public with her fantastic expose, is to permanently avoid her Estafa on OPLAN ATHENA's show money amounting to Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P4.5 Million).
P/DIR ACOP had been consistently following up MARY ONG on the return of OPLAN ATHENA's show money after the big time drug shipment intended for the project did not push through. However, MARY ONG argued that she was unable to return the said the amount immediately since it was deposited in her mother's bank account in Hong Kong.
After some time, P/DIR ACOP tried to follow up the show money again with MARY ONG, but she instead informed P/DIR ACOP of her current health condition being afflicted with breast cancer. P/DIR ACOP encouraged MARY ONG to finish the police project and promised to help her finance the cancer treatment she needed.
However, MARY ONG later said that she already gave the show money to P/SUPT CAMPOS. Further, she accused P/SUPT CAMPOS of using the money to buy multi-kilograms of shabu for retail sale.
P/DIR ACOP charged her that it is impossible for P/SUPT CAMPOS to have used the money, since she earlier argued about the difficulty she had, even as a daughter, on retrieving it from her mother's bank account in Hong Kong.
After being cornered and trapped by P/DIR ACOP, MARY ONG started to turn her ire against the police officers of OPLAN ATHENA.
Fearing that she may be cut from further working as an informant where she makes money, plus her fall from grace with the Chinese syndicates caused MARY ONG to turn bitter. Without any source of, she approached the disgruntled P/SSUPT. BERROYA and retired General LASTIMOSO through her friend -RICHARD RIVERA.
MARY ONG repeatedly accused P/SUPT. CAMPOS as a PAOCTF officer involved in kidnap-for-ransom and murder of suspected Chinese drug lords. She has also accused P/SUPT. CAMPOS of being involved in big time drug trafficking activities along with former President ESTRADA, Sen. LACSON, and other high-ranking police officials.
P/SUPT CAMPOS dismisses MARY ONG's accusations as mere fabrications brought about by political motives and her personal grudges against him. MARY ONG has likewise accused P/SUPT CAMPOS' close friends and fellow police officers of the same criminal offense and included some of them in her charges filed at the Ombudsman and the DOJ.
P/SUPT CAMPOS' reputation as an officer and a gentleman has already been severely maligned by MARY ONG's bitter persistence to exact personal vengeance at the expense of the government. MARY ONG has gone so low as to narrate her supposed sexual trysts with P/SUPT CAMPOS in a leading tabloid publication. Surely this is already far beyond the realm of national security and national interest. No decent person in her right mind and mental state would ever do such a despicable thing.
As of late, there are four (4) main figures supporting MARY ONG's allegations of heinous crimes against SEN. LACSON. These are P/SSUPT BERROYA, P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO, DIR. WYCOCO, and COL. CORPUS. The common denominator among these personalities is that they either have an axe to grind against SEN. LACSON, and/or they can significantly benefit from this political endeavor.
There are also some personalities who stand to suffer from this political witch-hunt. One such person is Chinese businessman known as KAM SIN WONG @ KIM WONG. During the senate hearings, MARY ONG accused WONG of being a drug lord. There is no drug personality known as @ KIM WONG or KAM SIN WONG based on the extensive intelligence operation conducted against the Triad's major personalities involved in drug trafficking. Moreover, MARY ONG confirms that Mr. WONG is NOT a Triad representative in the Philippines and that she has no knowledge of Mr. WONG's involvement in any drug - related activities in the Philippines.
MARY ONG's allegations regarding a meeting between WONG and Mr. LI is a figment of her twisted imagination. Mr. LI or AH-TAU is considered as a top priority surveillance subject by Philippine and Hong Kong police authorities. Thus, any meeting that Mr. LI attended with WONG, allegedly sometime in February 1999 in Hong Kong, would surely be monitored by the Hong Kong Police. The truth of the matter is that MARY ONG never saw the alleged MR. LI in Hong Kong since they only talked over the phone.
There is a clear political motive behind the allegations against KIM WONG, whose only crime is being a good friend and supporter of SEN. LACSON.
Mr. RICHARD RIVERA is reportedly responsible for lobbying propaganda against Sen. LACSON and other PNP officers identified with him. MARY ONG and RICHARD RIVERA were introduced to each other by newspaper reporter JONEP OCAMPO. The latter is also a close associate of retired Gen. LASTIMOSO. The duo of Richard RIVERA and MARY ONG are harassing Sen. LACSON and other high-ranking police officers with demolition operations utilizing the media. Their campaign is allegedly funded by P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO.
P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO has an axe to grind against SEN. LACSON, after he suspected the latter of orchestrating his ouster from office. The ouster of P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO as PNP Chief came after Senate hearings were held on illegal drug protection charges filed against him. This time, MARY ONG recently linked all P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO previous detractors with Chinese Triad and drug trafficking activities. They are SEN. LACSON, P/DIR ACOP, P/CSUPT GONZALES, P/SUPT VILLAROMAN, and P/SUPT CAMPOS.
With the reported financial backing of P/DDGEN LASTIMOSO, Mr. RIVERA and MARY ONG used various print and television media to propagate their black propaganda operations. They have also contracted a website to serve their schemes.
We have all heard of COL. CORPUS' speech on his concerns regarding our country slowly being immersed in narco-politics, and transforming eventually into a narco-state. In fact, it is within these lines that COL. CORPUS allegedly finds the motivation to pursue a personal campaign utilizing the resources of ISAFP to purge our society of politicians involved in drug trafficking. COL. CORPUS' further points his blaming finger on the Senate's tolerance over SEN. LACSON's alleged criminal activity, and the judiciary's corruptibility as among the reasons for the proliferation of narco-politics.
But foreign intelligence sources indicate that COL. CORPUS is barking up the wrong tree. In one such intelligence report, no less than the ISAFP itself was identified as a suspect in international drug trafficking. The same confidential report also identified the ISAFP personnel involved in these activities and their close connections with Chinese Triad high-ranking members. The report also included other details regarding the extent of ISAFP's involvement and the use of ISAFP and government resources in these activities.
The subject intelligence report now puts COL. CORPUS' motivations in grave and serious doubt. It is possible to consider COL. CORPUS' zealotry as an act to masquerade ISAFP's own role in drug trafficking.
Furthermore, COL. CORPUS is widely believed as being directed by higher authorities to conduct and sustain a campaign of political harassment against SEN. LACSON.
MARY ONG, on the other hand, enjoys the protection provided to her by the ISAFP after receiving death threats from some Chinese Triad groups whom her group victimized with kidnapping. She was forced to seek the refuge from COL. CORPUS upon the neutralization of her suspected Triad Boss SHANGHAI CHUA by police authorities. MARY ONG is also receiving extreme criticism from the PNP after she posed as a "double-agent" between the PNP and Chinese Triad, and engaged in drug trafficking in the process.
There was a turf war between DIR WYCOCO and SEN. LACSON while they were both in service as police officers of the PNP. DIR WYCOCO believed he was reportedly the subject of PAOCTF's extensive wiretapping operations. He also believed that PAOCTF had implicated him in connection with former political oppositionist activities.
DIR. WYCOCO's predicament is similar to COL. CORPUS, where both persons are widely believed to be directed by higher authorities to sustain a campaign of political harassment against SEN. LACSON.
MARY ONG's relationship with the NBI is likewise beneficial to her. Sometime in 1998, MARY ONG was arrested by NBI agents in an entrapment operation after she tried to sell two (2) kilograms of Shabu to a NBI poseur-buyer.
MARY ONG confirmed this incident together with DOJ USEC. CALIDA, in an interview with Mr. Jarius BONDOC, on the show "Paglilinaw" a few days before the 2001 Senate elections. Further, MARY ONG benefits from her arrangement with the NBI by earning a reprieve from her multi-million Estafa cases. The largest of which amounts reportedly to at least Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($200,000.00) which she defrauded from the AMERICAN EXPRESS INC. The case and warrant for her arrest is reportedly handled by the NBI.
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