The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Julian Ongpin, son of former trade and industry minister Roberto Ongpin, who was arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs in San Juan, La Union last Sept. 18.

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said that depending on the progress of the preliminary investigation against Julian, the prosecutors may petition the court for a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO).

The ILBO gives notice to all ports and airports in the country to lookout if Julian would leave the country, while the PHDO would stop him from leaving.

In the meantime, Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay Villar said government prosecutors will conduct the formal preliminary investigation of Julian after he was charged with Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“The inquest prosecutor of La Union deemed it proper to conduct a regular preliminary investigation of the case to give the law enforcers the opportunity to submit additional evidence to further prove the case for possession of dangerous drugs (cocaine) under Section 11, RA No. 9165, and to investigate further if there was ‘foul play’ which resulted in the death of Bree Jonson,” the DOJ spokesperson said.

Julian was with artist Bree Jonson in a hostel in San Juan, La Union. Bree was found unconscious by the police inside the room and was rushed to the hospital where she was declared dead.

Villar said the inquest prosecutor of La Union ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to release Julian from custody pending the preliminary investigation of the charges filed against him.

“The transfer of the case to another jurisdiction is under consideration and will be discussed with the Regional Prosecutor and the Secretary of Justice,” Villar said.

While there was no formal request for the transfer, Villar said she learned from Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento that he has been with the “regional prosecutor and the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) of the possibility to transfer the jurisdiction.”

Guevarra had directed the NBI to assist the PNP in the probe into the death of Bree.

“We have likewise directed the NBI to assist the PNP in conducting the investigation or to do a parallel probe, as may be needed,” he said.

He explained that he received a request from Salome Jonson, Bree’s mother, to place Julian under immigration watchlist. The request, he said, promoted him to direct the BI to issue ILBO.

On the transfer of the preliminary investigation of Julian’s case for possession of illegal drugs, Guevarra explained:

“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.”

He said told journalists covering the DOJ: “We will advise you later if there is really a need to do this (transfer) in the Ongpin case.”