Facebook posts are linking former House speaker Martin Romualdez and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos to the attempted trafficking of 521 kilos of shabu from Laos, claiming the presidential son is the mastermind of the whole deal involving employees of his uncle, Romualdez.
The thumbnail used a graphic with photos of the two lawmakers and one of the suspects posted on Oct. 14 with the text:
“BREAKING NEWS! Mastermind si Sandro Marcos? Pinoy na nahuli sa Laos at Thailand employado ni Romualdez, suspek tinuro si Sandro Marcos. Oh ano lulusot pa kayo dito?
(BREAKING NEWS! Is Sandro Marcos the mastermind? Filipino arrested in Laos and Thailand is an employee of Romualdez; the suspect points to Sandro Marcos. How will you get out of this one)?”
Below the encircled photo of the suspect is a comment box indicating he is a former staff of Romualdez.
However, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) spokesperson Joseph Calulut has said the mastermind in the seizure of the P3.5-billion worth of shabu had already been identified, without releasing names to avoid compromising the investigation.
But Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, in an Oct. 16 media conference, identified 11 persons of interest in the foiled smuggling, including a former Bangsamoro official, and another with the same first name mentioned in PDEA’s earlier press briefing.
There has been no statement from either the Philippine National Police or PDEA regarding the alleged involvement of Romualdez or Marcos in drug syndicates or this recent incident. Neither did Remulla mention the two legislators in the case.
In a press briefing on Oct. 12, PDEA confirmed the persons of interest include a certain “Fahad” from Marawi, and one alias “Boyet” who chartered the private jet that was supposed to transport the drugs.
Calulut said both suspects are linked to Sam Gor, a major drug syndicate operating in the Golden Triangle region in mainland Southeast Asia.
The Bangkok Post, meanwhile, reported that Thai authorities intercepted a crystal methamphetamine shipment bound for the Philippines at the Gulf of Thailand.
Only Thai crew members were arrested in the operation, according to Thailand authorities. PDEA has yet to verify if the Philippines was involved.
The original photo of the apprehended smugglers used in the thumbnail was posted on Facebook by the Laos International News.
The fake post circulated as Romualdez’s bail hearing for plunder before the Sandiganbayan started on Oct. 12 and after Marcos joined Lakas-CMD, the party where the former speaker is president, from the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.
The post by FB page Flow A vlog (created Jan. 4, 2022) and two separate reels by Coach Banateros online (created Dec. 22, 2023) garnered 6,000 reactions; 1,062 comments; 3,712 shares, and 26,000 views.
