Metro Manila, Philippines – A former Bangsamoro parliament member affiliated with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party has been identified as the suspected financier of an alleged attempt to smuggle ₱3.5 billion in illegal drugs from Laos into the country, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday, Oct. 16.
Remulla identified the former Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) lawmaker as Edrieza Hadji Nasser Rimbang, also referred to as Sultan Rimbang, during a Palace briefing where authorities presented a diagram linking at least 13 persons of interest to the alleged drug trafficking operation.
“Sultan Edrieza Rimbang H. Nasser is believed to be the financier of the entire operation,” Remulla said.
He said Rimbang was a former Bangsamoro parliament member who lost in the last election.
The diagram also showed Duterte and Rimbang’s wife. but Remulla said investigators had not established such a link.
“No, they are from the same political party,” Remulla said.
“This operation was between Sultan Edrieza Rimbang Nasser and his cohorts,” he added.
Authorities said Rimbang allegedly financed arrangements for a private aircraft that was supposed to transport 521 kilograms of suspected shabu from Laos to Manila in the last week of September.
Investigators identified Rioklyn Pizarras Toledo as the pilot who arranged the aircraft’s flight from Malaysia to Laos, while Police Executive Master Sergeant Aileen Jayne Manalo Mendoza allegedly helped secure a private hangar for its arrival in Manila.
Remulla said the money spent for arranging the aircraft arrival and hangar facilities came from Rimbang.
The aircraft was intercepted by Lao authorities.
Remulla also identified Abdulkarim Macalatas as the suspected consignee and distributor who would have received the shipment in Manila.
“Si Abdul Karim Macalatas ang siyang hinihinalang distributor. Siya ang magiging consignee at siyang magkakalat dito sa Pilipinas,” he said.
[Translation: Abdulkarim Macalatas is the suspected distributor. He was supposed to receive the shipment and distribute it in the Philippines.]
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Mendoza was relieved of her post and placed under restrictive custody at the Aviation Security Group.
Nartatez said Rimbang was reportedly in the country, while investigators continued tracing financial transactions and identifying other people allegedly involved.
Authorities are also awaiting laboratory results from Laos to confirm the nature of the seized substance.
Remulla clarified that the aircraft had never landed in or departed from the Philippines, contrary to claims that it had previously made several trips to the country.
“It would have been the first attempt to land here in the Philippines,” he said.
NewsWatch Plus is reaching out to Rimbang for comment on the allegations.
