Remulla suspects pilot used coffins to smuggle drugs into Philippines

MANILA — Authorities suspect that pilot Rioklyn “Boyet” Toledo may have previously smuggled illegal drugs into the Philippines by hiding them inside coffins transported through his air ambulance service, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday.

Toledo was tagged as a person of interest in the investigation into a shipment of shabu intercepted in Laos that was allegedly bound for the Philippines.

“Si Toledo runs an air ambulance service and he has had flights,” Remulla said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.

The DILG chief said investigators are examining Toledo’s previous flights, including trips to Thailand and Malaysia, where he allegedly picked up cadavers.

“Ang suspect namin, ang dating operations niya, ay naglalagay siya ng drugs doon sa loob ng mga kabaong para dalhin dito sa Pilipinas,” he said.

“Hindi nahuhuli ‘yan kasi hindi nadadaan ng aso sa box ng patay. Ang cadaver, may passport ‘yan. So, titingnan lang ‘yung passport, titingnan lang ‘yung manifest, tapos lulusot na ‘yung box ng patay. So, we suspect that was their MO (modus operandi) before,” he added.

Remulla said Toledo was the one who procured the private aircraft from Malaysia that was involved in the shipment intercepted in Laos.

The plane had not previously landed in the Philippines, leading investigators to believe that the operation involved an experimental route.

The DILG chief also cited Toledo’s involvement in a drug bust in Taguig in 2012, but acknowledged that he was never convicted in connection with that case.

Toledo has denied the allegations against him and voluntarily presented himself to authorities for investigation.

Remulla also alleged that former BARMM parliament member Sultan Edrieza Nasser Rimbang may have financed the operation.

He said the politician was not included in the previous administration’s narco list but claimed investigators were confident about the evidence they had gathered.

“He was never on the list, pero we suspect that he has been a financier all this time. Doon nanggagaling ang pera niya. Kasi kung makita mo ‘yung sophistication ng operations niya, hanggang general aviation security ng PNP, may tao sila,” Remulla said.

“I dare you to challenge me on the facts of this case. Kung mali kami sa case buildup, resign na ako bukas. We are that confident na talagang tama ang ginawa naming investigation,” he stressed.

The politician has yet to be charged in connection with the shipment, and the allegations remain subject to investigation.

Remulla said intelligence agencies from Southeast Asian countries had shared information about two suspected drug shipments bound for the Philippines about a week before the operation in Laos.

Authorities coordinated their efforts, with Laotian police eventually stopping a passenger identified as Fahad Mulok Dibarosan before he could board the aircraft.

“Doon na-discover lahat nung bumagsak si Fahad. Nakita namin ang links lahat kung sino nag-procure ng eropolano, kung saan darating dito, kung sino consignee, kung sino nagbigay ng pera,” Remulla said.

The Department of Justice is now expected to develop the case and determine the appropriate charges against those implicated.

Following the Laos shipment, Remulla said the Philippines was pushing for drug syndicates to be treated as terrorist networks to strengthen cooperation among Southeast Asian countries.

He said the operation highlighted the importance of intelligence-sharing among ASEAN member states in addressing transnational drug trafficking.