JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra assured on Tuesday that justice will be served to the family of 30-year-old visual artist Bree Jonson, who was found unresponsive last Saturday at a hotel room in San Juan, La Union, where she was staying with her boyfriend Julian Ongpin, son of billionaire Roberto Ongpin.
Guevarra said an immigration lookout bulletin order would be issued (ILBO) against Ongpin who was reportedly released from police custody upon the directive of the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of La Union, after conducting inquest proceedings on the possession of illegal drug charges lodged against Julian.
The DOJ chief said the justice department may also move for the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order (HDO) from the court depending on the outcome of the preliminary investigation on the case.
“I just want to assure everyone that this matter will be investigated thoroughly to find out the truth and to ensure that justice will be done,” Guevarra said.
Ongpin was charged with possession of 12.6 grams of cocaine, a prohibited drug, which was reportedly recovered inside the hotel room of Ongpin and Jonson in Flotsam & Jetsam Resort in La Union where the latter was found unconscious and was later declared dead in a hospital.
The police have yet to announce the cause of Jonson’s death pending the result of her autopsy.
“I have just received the request from Mrs. Salome Jonson, mother of deceased Bree Jonson, considering the charges for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Law have been filed against Julian Ongpin, the DOJ will issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against Mr. Ongpin,” Guevarra stressed.
“The DOJ may further consider asking the court for the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order depending on the progress of the preliminary investigation,” he added.
Likewise, Guevarra said he has directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) in conducting the investigation or to do a parallel probe into the incident, if necessary.
Based on the information received by the DOJ from its Regional Prosecution Office, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of La Union issued its inquest resolution on the drug complaint filed by the San Juan, La Union PNP and deemed it proper to conduct a regular preliminary investigation of the case to give law enforcers the opportunity to submit additional evidence to further prove the case for possession of dangerous drugs under Section 11, Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Likewise, the DOJ said the provincial prosecutor found the need to investigate further if there was a “foul play,” which may have resulted in the death of Jonson.
Pending the preliminary investigation proceedings and further investigation on the death of Jonson, the DOJ said the provincial prosecutor deemed it proper to order the release of Ongpin from police custody.
Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Villar also disclosed that there is an ongoing discussion between Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office and the NBI on the possibility of transferring the jurisdiction of the case.
However, Guevarra clarified that what is likely being discussed is the possibility of designating a prosecutor from another place to conduct the preliminary investigation.
“If at all, it’s not really a transfer of jurisdiction [because in criminal cases jurisdiction lies in the place where the offense was committed]. It may only be a case of a prosecutor in another place being designated to conduct the preliminary investigation as acting prosecutor for the place where the offense was committed,” Guevarra stressed.