The son of Justice Secretary Boying Remulla, Juanito Jose Remulla III, was acquitted by the Las Pinas Regional Trial Court of an illegal drug importation case on Friday, January 6.
Juanito was apprehended by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group at Talon Dos, Las Piñas on October 11 during a controlled delivery operation.
Remulla’s son pleaded not guilty to his illegal drug possession charges.
“Doon po mismo sa mga affidavit of arrest at sa testimony mismo ng mga PDEA agent, inanim nila na nung dumating ‘yung parcel sa bahay ni Mr. Remulla, sinabi niya hindi ko ine-expect ‘yan,” Atty. Pearlito Campanilla, one of Juanito’s counsel said.
“And nung tinanong siya, kilala mo ba ‘yung shipper na si Benjamin Hopman, ang sabi niya, hindi ko kilala ‘yan,” he added.
Campanilla said that the son of Remulla gave an ID card with the name Juanito Jose Remulla III, but the package was for Jose Juanito Remulla.
The lawyer said that Juanito was made to hold the box before he was arrested.
“Hindi pa niya alam kung ano yung nakalagay sa loob ng box, hinuli na siya, inaresto na siya,” the lawyer said.
Juanito’s camp said that they will work on the release of Remulla’s son.
“We shall endeavor to immediately secure the release of Joey Remulla from detention. His freedom comes as a matter of course, the logical and legal consequence of his being found innocent,” Campanilla said.
The lawyer is also confident that the young Remulla will be acquitted of his other charges
“There is the remaining matter of the second case filed against him, that is illegal importation but we are confident that the same will be given the same treatment as with this case,” he said.
The camp of Juanito also denied that he was acquitted because he was the son of the Justice chief.
“This is not a court of public opinion,” he said.
