PDEA tells DOJ: Chinese nabbed with Marcelino was never an asset

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday denied to the Department of Justice that the Chinese national arrested with Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino at a drug laboratory in Manila last month was its asset.

This was contained in two certifications submitted by the PDEA to the DOJ to belie the claim of Yan Yi Shou that he was acting as an "action agent" when he and Marcelino tried inspecting a suspected drug laboratory at a townhouse in Sta. Cruz, Manila, owned by a friend of his acquaintance, a certain "Tonga."

"This is to certify that based on our available records on file, Mr. Yan Yi Shou also known as Randy is not documented and authorized as action agent, confidential informant or asset of this agency," said PDEA director Randy Pedroso.

The PDEA Administrative and Human Resource Service (AHRS) also denied that the Chinese national was ever employed by the anti-drug agency.

"This is to certify that based on our disposition of personnel as of January 2016, Yan Yi Shou is not included in the roster of our personnel," read the other certification signed by Donelyn Hemedez, AHRS officer-in-charge.

Marcelino has claimed he has a mission order to conduct surveillance on the shabu laboratory, where PDEA agents seized 76 kilos of illegal drugs worth P383 million.

During Monday's preliminary investigation, the PDEA and the Philippine National Police also submitted a reply to Yan Yi Shou's counter-affidavit, in which the two agencies insisted the Chinese and Marcelino were validly arrested last January 21. —ALG, GMA News