CA freezes Sabalones’ accounts
Franz Sabalones, here presented by PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa, has several assets including a P76 million savings in three bank accounts. The Court of Appeals recently issued an order freezing all his properties. (INQUIRER PHOTO)
After the Court of Appeals (CA) ruled to freeze the bank accounts of self-confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) vowed to go after the holding of the assets of other drug lords in the region.
PDEA-7 director Yogi Felimon Ruiz said they are now focusing on the assets of other drug personalities that they believe are proceeds of their illegal drug trade.
“Daghan tag target nga gipang-ingon ani nato ang investigation para pud sa atong request. Same method, ipa-freeze pud nato (We have a lot of targets being investigated this way so we can petition for the freezing of their accounts),” Ruiz said.
As he declined to name their targets, he admitted, however, that they are also focusing on the wealth of alleged drug lord Jefferey “Jaguar” Diaz, who was slain in Las Piñas last year.
The CA issued a freeze order on the bank accounts and properties of Sabalones, said Ruiz during the 888 News Forum on Tuesday morning.
Ruiz said the freeze order was released last Jan. 18, but he received a copy last Monday.
Sabalones’ assets include P76 million in deposits in three bank accounts, six lots, a beach resort in San Fernando, six sports utility vehicles and a 6.4-hectare poultry farm.
He said the freeze order is in relation to the investigation conducted by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
“So far siya (Sabalones) pa (order is just for him). But there are other candidates (drug personalities). Isa-isa lang kay konti lang kami,” Ruiz told reporters.
(So far, the freeze order is just for him. There are still many others, but we’re taking it one person at a time because of our limited number.)
According to Ruiz, the CA said that all the accounts and properties of Sabalones were considered illegal proceeds of a crime.
“Atong himoon karon, dakpon nato ilang drugs ato pud dakpon ang kabtangan nga nakuha nila sa ilang negosyo,” he said.
(We will confiscate their drugs and take away their property acquired from the drug business.)
Sabalones, a native of San Fernando town in southern Cebu, is the brother of the town’s Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones.
He has been under the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame after he surrendered on August 7, 2016.
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