Nagsasagawa ngayon ng manhunt operation ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) laban sa isang entrepreneur na nasa likod diumano ng kontrobersiyal na app Lyka, shoe brand World Balance at Bren Esports dahil sa pagkakasangkot umano sa P1.87 bilyong halaga ng shabu na ipinuslit at nakumpiska sa Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Nabatid kay NBI International Operations Division Chief Joey Moran na isinasagawa ang manhunt laban kay Bernard Lu Chong .
Kasabay nito,umapela ang NBI sa negosyante na sumuko na at harapin ang kasong isinampa laban sa kanya.
“Drug smuggling is a very serious case and is an unbailable offense. The NBI is mandated to track down and arrest fugitives regardless of their status. As long as you have a warrant of arrest, you become a subject of a manhunt. However, Mr. Lu Chung can spare everyone the trouble if he surrenders and face the charges against him,” ayon kay Moran.
Nabatid na su Lu Chong, may-ari rin ng Philippine franchise ng Canadian coffee shop chain na Tim Horton’s, ay nahaharap sa kasong paglabag sa Section 4, Article 2 ng Republic Act 9165 o importation ng illegal drugs na isang non-bailable offense.
Una nang nag-isyu ng warrant of arrest ang Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 13 laban kay Lu Chong noong Hunyo 2, 2021.
Iniapela ito ni Lu Chong pero ibinasura.ng korte noong Abril.29, dahilan kung kaya’t nilabasan siya ng arrest warrant sa kanyang bahay sa Libis,Quezon City
Magugunita na may 276.3 kilos ng shabu ang nakumpiska ng mga operatiba ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Customs at Philippine Coast Guard noong Mayo 31,2019 sa MICP Container Freight Station 3 na itinago sa plastic resins at naka consignee sa Fortuneyield Cargo Services Corporation.
Sa pitong- pahinang resolusyon na inisyu ng Task Force Anti-Organized Crime Division ng Department of Justice na pinamumunuan ni Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva, idineklara nitong may sapat na ebidensiya laban kay Lu Chong dahil ito ang general mamager ng Fortuneyield.
“It is a different situation for Bernard Lu Chong who is the general manager in charge of overall operation. The evidence shows that Fortuneyield paid P20,000 as container deposit and P76,807.50 for freight to SITC. IT would be impossible for these payments of significant amounts to be made without the general manager’s knowledge and acquiescence,” makasaad pa sa resolusyon.
Kabilang rin sa mga kinasuhan ang Chinese national na si Xu Zhi Jian alyas Jacky Co, Fe Tamayosa , Alvin Bautista, Jane Abello Castillo, Carlo Dale Sueta, Abraham Torrecampo, Arwin Jay Caparros, Leonard Sucaldito, Mark Leo Magpayo, Brian Pabilona at Francis C.K. Young. (Arsenio Tan)
