State prosecutor in P6.4-B shabu haul case is new Quezon judge

Newly-appointed Judge Aristotle Reyes took his oath Friday before Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, along with his wife Marilyn Vasquez-Reyes and children. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA — The state prosecutor of the Department of Justice (DOJ) who indicted nine persons in connection with the PHP6.4-billion shipment of illegal drugs from China last year is now a regional trial court judge in Quezon province.

Newly-appointed Judge Aristotle Reyes took his oath Friday before Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, along with his wife Marilyn Vasquez-Reyes and children.

Reyes has been named as judge of the Lucena City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 in Quezon province.

Reyes’ promotion was the subject of a transmittal letter sent by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

During his stint as DOJ prosecutor, he handled he handled the prosecution of Task Force against Rogue policemen and the Abu Sayyaf Group members.

One of the recent controversial cases that he handled was the PHP6.4-billion shabu shipment that entered the country last May 2017.

In November, a panel of prosecutors found probable cause to indict Customs broker Mark Ruben Taguba, Chen Ju Long, alias Richard Tan or Richard Chen; Li Guang Feng, alias Manny Li; Dong Yi Shen, alias Kenneth Dong; Eirene Mae Tatad; Teejay Marcellana; Chen Min; Jhu Ming Jhun; and Chen Rong Huan for importation of dangerous drugs under Section 4, in relation to Section 26 (a) of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Reyes caused the filing of violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) before the Manila Regional Trial Court and the Valenzuela RTC against Taguba and Tatad, who are now under detention for a non-bailable crime.

Meanwhile, the panel dismissed the illegal drugs, and graft and corruption complaint filed against 12 respondents including former Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon.

The DOJ explained that they had to dismiss the complaints against the BOC officials and employees because the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) only submitted a 23-page complaint and submitted incomplete evidence.