Manila OCP junks drug raps versus ‘first suspect’ in BOC attacks

On May 23, 2022

Ricmoreno Paja. suspected of involvement in the series of violent attacks against customs employees after his arrest at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) last January 25, 2022 where he allegedly yielded a pistol and a fragmentation grenade and illegal drugs (stock photo)..

THE Manila Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the illegal drugs possession case filed by the Bureau of Customs against a man customs operatives arrested last January 25, 2022 on suspicion of being behind the spate of targeted gun attacks of customs personnel that at the time, had already claimed 3 victims.

In a 2-page resolution, Ma. Salvacion S. Sevilla, Assistant City Prosecutor, said “there was no evidence” to prove that dangerous drugs were indeed recovered from the suspect, Ricomoreno Paypa Paja, as claimed by the arresting customs operatives.

Paja is reportedly “acting suspiciously” while at the vicinity of the Manila International Container Port (MICP), when he was accosted.

Paja allegedly yielded a pistol and a hand grenade while 2 plastic sachets of shabu was purportedly recovered from his belt bag (Pinoy Exposé, January 28, 2022), which is a non-bailable offense under RA 9165, similar to the purported confiscation of the grenade under RA 10591.

The family of Paja, however, claimed he was a victim of a “frameup” and all the recovered evidence against him have been “planted” by the arresting team (Pinoy Exposé, February 21, 2022.

According to the resolution, while the affidavit of arrest of Paja claimed he was in possession of illegal drugs, there was not even a picture of the ‘recovered’ drugs and that no request for laboratory test of the drugs was made.

“In other words, there is no evidence to prove that dangerous drugs was recovered from the respondent,” reads the resolution.

Although the resolution was dated April 20, 2022, a copy was only made available to the media last May 17, 2022.

Despite the favorable ruling, Paja remains locked up at the Manila Police District even as his family continue to plead with customs officials to “show interest” in the case.

A family member who declined to be named lamented that after 4 scheduled hearing that have been all cancelled for one reason or another, the court is yet to hear their motion for bail.

“Parang wala naman sila (BOC) interes sa kaso kaya nagtatagal,” the family member claimed.

The dismissal of the illegal drugs case against Paja came amidst report that the ‘real’ gunman, Police Executive Master Sergeant (PEMS) Celedonio Caunceran Jr., was arrested and subsequently ended up dead inside the CIIS office in Manila last May 20, 2022 (see related article in this issue).