JULIAN Ongpin, son of billionaire and Marcos-era trade minister Roberto Ongpin, has asked a La Union court to suspend proceedings, including the possible issuance of a warrant of arrest, in connection with the drug charges filed by the Department of Justice against him.
In a motion filed last October 21, Ongpin’s lawyer, Dennis Manalo, asked San Fernando City, La Union Regional Trial Court Branch 27 Judge Romeo Agacita to suspend the proceedings, saying Ongpin was not given the opportunity to contest the DOJ resolution finding probable cause to indict him for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Manalo argued that Ongpin should have been given the opportunity to contest the DOH findings, adding that an accused has 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration or a petition for review directly with the office of the DOJ Secretary.
State prosecutors last week found probable cause to indict Ongpin for violation of RA 9165 after 12.6 grams of cocaine was found by the police in the room in a resort in San Juan, La Union that he occupied along with his late girlfriend, visual artist Breanna Jonson.
Jonson was found unconscious inside the room and was later declared dead in a hospital.
