Ex-BARMM official to appear before PDEA on Nov. 5 over Laos drug probe

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bangsamoro parliament member Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, whom authorities have identified as the alleged financier of the Laos drug shipment, is expected to appear before the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Nov. 5.

PDEA spokesperson Joseph Frederick Calulut said Rimbang’s lawyers had committed to bringing him to the agency’s office to submit a sworn statement as part of the investigation.

“The lawyers of Sultan Rimbang came to our office the other day and they committed to present him sa opisina natin (to our office) on Nov. 5,” Calulut told reporters in a phone interview.

READ: Ex-Bangsamoro lawmaker denies link to Laos drug smuggling attempt

Calulut said that two other persons of interest (POI) had yet to appear before the agency.

He explained that there could be more individuals that may be considered as POI depending on the development of the investigation.

Interior Sec. Jonvic Remulla earlier identified 11 individuals, including the former Bangsamoro official, allegedly involved in the attempted smuggling of drugs amounting to P3.5 billion in the country.

READ: BARMM politicians, 10 others under probe over Laos drug seizure

Rimbang has denied the allegations, claiming he was being implicated because of his ties to the Duterte family.

Calulut, however, said documents and other evidence pointed to Rimbang as the alleged mastermind, not merely the financier, of the operation.

“Based on the evidence on hand he appears to be the mastermind, hindi lang siya financier so we are still waiting for him to come to our office to give his statement para yung statement niya hindi lang pang social media,” Calulut explained.

(Based on the evidence on hand he appears to be the mastermind, he is not just a financier so we are still waiting for him to come to our office to give his statement because his statement is not just social media,”)

“We have documents, we have evidence indicating that it was Rimbang who provided the money,” Calulut said, adding that the agency was awaiting information and documents from Laos and Malaysia.

Laotian authorities flagged the private jet at Luang Prabang International Airport on Oct. 1 after it departed from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport in Subang, Malaysia.

The aircraft was reportedly booked by a Filipino suspect to transport goods declared as vape products to Manila.

Authorities later discovered 521 kilograms of suspected shabu in 23 pieces of luggage following customs clearance./dp