MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has asked the Manila Regional Trial Court to put Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino under its military custody.
“To ensure his safety, the Navy leadership finds it appropriate to detain him at the Philippine Navy detention facility,” the Navy spokesman said.
AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo, in a press briefing said that Marcelino’s life could be put in danger if he was going to be detained in a civilian detention facility since he had helped neutralize criminal syndicates. He also contributed to the prosecution and conviction of prominent persons involved in the illegal drug trade.
“Marcelino has been instrumental to the arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of several high profile personalities involved in the illegal drug trade, organized syndicates at that, and these people who he helped incarcerated might be the same people whom he will be joining in case he will be imprisoned together with other high-profile criminals behind bars, so that will pose danger to the life of Marcelino,” Arevalo said.
“We need to ensure his safety while under detention during the pendency of the preliminary investigation,” Arevalo added.
The former anti-narcotics officer is currently under the custody of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) in Camp Bagong Diwa of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Marcelino is facing drug charges filed against him by the Philippine National Police (PNP-AIDG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) last year before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Marcelino surrendered last week to the office of the AFP Provost Marshal General in Camp Aguinaldo.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that Marcelino’s Chinese companion, Yan Yi Shou alias Randy also surrendered on Tuesday night to the National Bureau of Investigation.
“We are proud to announce that Yan Yi Shou is now under the custody of the NBI. This is a welcome development insofar as our pursuit of this case is concerned,” Aguirre said.
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