DOJ to Summon Leviste in Drug Syndicate Probe

Following the Christmas day raid of a suspected drug lair in Barangay Inosluban in Lipa City in Batangas that yielded 84kg of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) worth P420 million, and the belief that notorious Mexican Sinoloa drug syndicate is in the country, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will summon former Batangas governor Jose Antonio “Tony” Leviste in its probe on the reported operation of the said powerful drug syndicate.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Leviste will be asked to produce the lease contract of the LPL Ranch located in Barangay Inosluban in Lipa City, where authorities seized P420 million worth of illegal drugs last Wednesday, Gma News Online report said.

De Lima said “Kapag may violation of the law, example maintaining a drug lab and committed by a partnership, those who consent to or knowingly tolerates such violation will be held liable as co-principal.”

Reports said Leviste denied owning the ranch.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) on Thursday said the illegal drugs recovered in the Batangas ranch can be traced to the Mexican Sinoloa drug ring, which has been known as Mexico’s most powerful drug syndicate, Gma News Online said.

Reports said De Lima wants to find out the persons behind the “shabu laboratory” in the Batangas ranch. “Sino ba ang members ng sindikato na iyan? Sino ba ang alam nila na may kinalaman sa nadiskubreng laboratory na iyan? Kung sino ang mga iyon, they also have to be charged,” she said.

She is also expecting a formal referral from the PNP as to the identity of the co-perpetrators of the Mexican drug group including the owners of the ranch.

Former Batangas governor Jose Antonio “Tony” Leviste recently granted parole last December 6 after he was convicted by the Makati regional trial court for the death of his aide Rafael Delas Alas.

The justice secretary said Leviste’s parole may be invalidated if proven that he is involved in the manufacturing of illegal drugs.

“Pwede maging ground iyan to withdraw or cancel the parole. But that is just, I’m not saying iyan na ‘yan. It really depends on his defense and whether it can be proven na alam nya,” de Lima said.