PNP, AMLC freeze Cebu drug lord’s assets
One of the properties, located in Vista Montana Subdivision, Purok 6, Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City, was the scene of a buy-bust operation where Fortuna was arrested and some P47.7 million worth of shabu was seized on 9 February 2019.
Authorities on Friday implemented a freeze order on the assets of yet another drug suspect in Cebu in a bid to put a stop to his illegal activities.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Mel Georgie Racela led operatives of their respective agencies in implementing a freeze order handed down by the Court of Appeals on assets of alleged drug lord Charlie Duhaylungsod Fortuna.
Two real estate properties owned by Fortuna as well as 10 bank accounts, were earlier identified by the AMLC as related to his drug trafficking activities.
One of the properties, located in Vista Montana Subdivision,
Purok 6, Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City, was the scene of a buy-bust operation where Fortuna was arrested and some P47.7 million worth of shabu was seized on 9 February 2019.
Aside from illegal drugs, operatives found three deposit slips, post-dated checks, and remittance slips indicating that Fortuna was laundering proceeds of his purported drug sales.
It is covered by a transfer certificate of title issued to Fortuna’s aunt, but investigation showed that he himself owns the property, Sinas said.
The property ordered frozen by the
Court of Appeals is located in Ozamis City, he added.
Relatedly, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), AMLC, and police last Monday implemented a freeze order issued by the Court of Appeals on a house in Cebu City owned by drug suspects connected to the Kuratong Baleleng group.
Spouses Artemio and Daisy Salas, who currently have a warrant of arrest, own the two-story house inside a high-end subdivision in Barangay Guadalupe.
Aside from their house, which is estimated to be worth around P5 million, the Salas couple is said to have other properties in Ozamis City and Maasin, Southern Leyte.
They also have bank accounts with notable transactions that are not commensurate to their declared source of income, PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva said, adding that those accounts are now also frozen.
“By freezing their properties, these drug personalities will no longer be able to use their assets earned from illegal drug transactions to further run their operations.”
Villanueva said the next move is to file for the forfeiture of properties in favor of the government, so the proceeds can be used in either the anti-drug campaign or the rehabilitation and reintegration program.
“Running after ill-secured assets of arrested drug lords, terrorists, smugglers, and other organized criminal groups and individuals clearly shows that the government is serious in this fight,” Sinas said.