SBMA clears Magsaysay of alleged links with shabu hauler

By. Anthony Bayarong – Manila Times

SUBIC Bay Freeport: Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) denies that a former official had links with big time drug hauler Anthony Ang.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arezza reacted to recent reports that former SBMA Director Jesus Vicente “JV” Magsaysay, son of administration senatorial candidate Vicente Magsaysay, had links with prime suspect Ang tracing it to a Chinese restaurant that has since closed.

Ang is the prime suspect of authorities who allegedly tried to smuggle in some 744 kilograms of shabu with an estimated worth of P15 billion in street value.

“We wonder how this information, which is obviously hearsay, could have seen print,” Arreza said in a statement.

Reacting to reports, Arezza said that the SBMA Locator Registration and Licensing Department records showed that Ding Ho Seafoods Restaurant Inc. began its operation on March 15, 1998 when it subleased a restaurant space at the Royal Duty Free Shop.

Until the company closed on October 4, 2004, there was no instance that the ownership or operation of Ding Ho had changed hands from Ang to Magsaysay, Arreza pointed out.

Ding Ho’s contract, he added, was pre-terminated by the SBMA in October 2004 due to the firm’s outstanding obligations.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Arroyo ordered the destruction of the contrabands seized by SBMA and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group-Task Force Subic (PASG-TFS).

But PASG-TFS officials said that as of this date an executive judge in Olongapo City has not granted the motion for destruction.

It is still not clear where the contrabands would be destroyed although in a recent interview with The Times, PASG Chief Antonio Villar Jr. said that it should be done in the presence of the public and the media.